


can you keep a secret?

by euphorickiri



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir Identity Reveal, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alya Césaire Knows, Awesome Nino Lahiffe, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hot Mess Adrien Agreste, Hot Mess Marinette Dupain-Cheng, M/M, Nino Lahiffe Is So Done, Oblivious Marinette Dupain-Cheng, POV Alya Césaire, Protective Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Protective Alya Césaire, someone give alya a hug please, the angst is gonna hit whew, things are gonna get worse before they get better
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:55:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 75,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26716381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/euphorickiri/pseuds/euphorickiri
Summary: once alya had her mind set on something, it was hard for her to let it go. she often got herself into trouble because of this, but, in her words, this was the "life of a journalist". but when she uncovers a secret that seems too impossible to believe, alya opens up a whole new world of danger."with a mask and a costume, don’t you think adrien looks a little bit like chat noir?”she comes to realize some secrets should stay buried.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Alya Césaire, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Alya Césaire & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Nino Lahiffe, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Alya Césaire, Alya Césaire & Kagami Tsurugi, Alya Césaire & Luka Couffaine, Alya Césaire & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire & Nino Lahiffe, Luka Couffaine & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Luka Couffaine/Nino Lahiffe, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Kagami Tsurugi, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug/Kagami Tsurugi
Comments: 65
Kudos: 174





	1. one

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this story takes place a couple days after the events of 1x04, "Lady Wifi"

_ Ladybug and Chat Noir vs. Lady Wifi: The Battle Streamed Across Paris _

_ … _

Alya glared at her laptop screen, tapping her fingers on her desk in annoyance. She couldn’t remember the last time her writer’s block was this bad. Usually, it only took her a couple of minutes to write an article and post it on her blog. It’s been an hour since she sat down to write and she was drawing a blank. Alya let out a frustrated groan and slammed her laptop shut, sinking into her chair. She knew she had to get it done eventually. Ever since Ladybug and Chat Noir made their debut, Alya never missed a blog post. Not  _ once _ . She refused to mess up her perfect streak just because she was having an off day. It was even more frustrating since the house was actually quiet for once. Ella and Etta tired themselves out from running around and fell asleep. Both her parents and Nora weren’t home - which wasn’t new - but that meant she didn’t have anyone to distract her. These were perfect writing conditions and they were going to waste. 

Alya opened her laptop again and pulled her knees up into her chest, silently hoping something would finally inspire her. If there was one thing she hated the most, it was giving up. She was stubborn when it came to a lot of things, especially her writing. But after another ten minutes of sitting in silence, she regretfully admitted nothing was going to get done any time soon. Her heart ached at the thought of disappointing her readers. She already had to deal with people criticizing what she posted and she knew they weren’t going to let her live this down. It would have to be a small price to pay to get herself back into the game. Until she got over whatever this weird mood of hers was, the Ladyblog was going to have to wait. 

Her phone started ringing and the sight of Nino’s face popping up was reliving. Alya seriously needed a distraction. She answered the call and propped her phone up on her laptop. 

“Every day I get closer to being a high school dropout,” Nino groaned as soon as his call went through. “Miss Bustier is great and all, but if I have to write another fifteen-page essay on the French Revolution I’m going to lose my mind.” 

“Have you tried not waiting until the very last minute to do your work?” Alya deadpanned. 

He frowned. “This coming from  _ you _ ? The queen of pulling all-nighters? Alright, what’s wrong?”

“I’m fine. It’s just school stuff,” she muttered. 

“Bullshit. Something else is bothering you,” Nino argued. “You don’t have to tell me about it if you really don’t want to. But you know you can tell me anything, right?” 

Nino was her closest friend besides Marinette. They bonded quickly over their mutual love for comic books and have only grown closer since then. Often when Alya felt like she couldn’t talk to Marinette, Nino was always there to lend an ear. This was happening a lot more recently than she wanted to admit. She didn’t know exactly what was going on, but Alya wasn’t stupid. Marinette was hiding something from her. Something big. She showed up to school half-asleep most of the time and when asked to hang out she came up with every excuse in the book to avoid going. There were even certain times she would just disappear without telling anyone. It seemed like it was taking a huge toll on her and Alya didn’t want to add to that burden. So she plastered a smile on her face for her best friend and supported her in any way she could. Still, she couldn’t help but be suspicious about what was going on. 

“I have writer’s block,” Alya admitted. 

Nino gasped dramatically. “ _ The _ Alya Cesaire has writer’s block? Stop the presses! Get the mayor of Paris on the phone! This is a nationwide emergency!” 

“I hate you so much.” 

“Really? Because the smile on your face says otherwise,” Nino teased, laughing when Alya pouted. “Okay seriously, what’s the problem? I mean you might have writer’s block now but it should go away soon and you’ll be back to writing up a storm.” 

“Maybe that would be the case if this was a normal thing for me. I’ll admit I can get stumped when it comes to other things, but never with my writing. I’ve been trying to write a new blog post for the Ladyblog and my mind is drawing a blank. Nothing is helping me get back on track and I’m ready to throw my laptop out of my window at this point.” Alya sighed and ran her hands through her hair, tugging at the ends in frustration. “And you know what sucks the most? The  _ one  _ time my house is quiet now is the time my brain decides to stop working.”

She was surprised when she didn’t get a response right away. Nino was deep in thought, fiddling with his headphones around his neck and looking away from the camera. 

“Is this new blog post about Lady Wifi by any chance?” he asked cautiously. 

She narrowed her eyes. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“Well, for all your other posts you made they were about other akumatized people. This time it’s about you. And the fight did get pretty intense. Maybe you still feel guilty about it?” 

_ I heard through the grapevine that you’re seeking to unmask Ladybug _

Her grip around her knees tightened. Alya shrunk in on herself, trying to hide how much she was shaking. “Can we please not talk about it?” 

“But-”

“Seriously Nino. Drop it.” 

Her tone made no room for any opposition. The other teen looked hesitant but didn’t push any further. He didn’t need to say anything else anyway. Alya knew he was right. This time, things were personal. Emotions in news writing, especially when it came to a serious topic, was the worst thing to have. It was easy to talk about villains like Stormy Weather. She wasn’t even phased writing about Stoneheart and the Pharaoh even if she was in danger during both attacks. This time she was the bad guy and the lingering guilt was eating her alive. The echo of Hawkmoth’s voice in her head refused to go away and she couldn’t remember the last time she got a full night of sleep. When people were akumatized they weren’t themselves. She  _ knew  _ that. But that wasn’t enough to reassure her. 

It also didn’t help that all of this started because she made a false assumption. Alya honestly didn’t know what she was thinking. Chloe being Ladybug? In her defense, seeing the other teen pulling Ladybug’s costume out of her locker  _ was  _ pretty suspicious. But she still shouldn’t have rushed to conclusions. Because of her Ladybug and Chat Noir’s identities were almost exposed to the entire city. Who knows what could’ve happened if Lady Wifi succeeded? 

“I still think about the time I was akumatized too you know,” Nino mentioned. “Not like I can forget something like that anyway.”

“I said-”

“To drop Lady Wifi. The Bubbler is still fair game.” Alya grumbled to herself but didn’t try to argue again. Nino kicked his feet up on his desk, trying to get comfortable. “It was a scary experience. I never want to go through something like that again, but that’s not guaranteed. People can be akumatized more than once. And we can’t just turn off our negative emotions. We’re all human. If we’re upset, we’re going to be upset.”

“This is making me even more depressed. Is that your goal here?” 

Nino pointed at her accusingly. “Hush! Let me finish!” Alya rolled her eyes, motioning for him to continue. “The point is: akuma attacks are inevitable. All of us are at risk and as terrifying as that is it’s our reality. But we’re not in control when we’re akumatized. Hawkmoth is. The Bubbler wasn’t my fault and Lady Wifi wasn’t your fault. That can be hard to believe at times but it’s true. The best thing we can do for ourselves is talk about it.”

“I don’t need to talk about anything,” Alya protested. 

“I know that. You’re probably the strongest person I know. But the point is you don’t have to do this alone,” Nino sighed. “This is about more than writer’s block. This isn’t going to go away anytime soon if you don’t start being honest with yourself.”

“Honest? About what? The fact that my selfishness got me into this mess in the first place? Or how I’m not even strong enough to fight for myself? Or maybe we should talk about how half of Paris still hates me!” Alya said sarcastically, her tone cold. “Where would you like to start?” 

She hated how much Lady Wifi took over her life. She pretended not to see the dirty looks people sent her, ignoring how hurt she felt. Nino was right. They weren’t themselves when they were akumatized. But that didn’t mean everyone sympathized with akuma victims. And she was no exception. Even Chloe was wary around her now.  _ Chloe _ . The most fearsome person at school. So Alya preferred not to talk about it at all. It was just something else she had to deal with.

She wasn’t weak. She  _ wasn’t _ . She could handle herself. 

“Hey, as long as Ladybug and Chat Noir around everything will be okay. Being akumatized sucks but they’ll always be there to help,” Nino tried to comfort.

“Sure, we have heroes to protect us. That doesn’t mean we’re still not exposed to danger. People can be akumatized more than once,” Alya argued. “I’m pretty sure Ladybug and Chat Noir are our age. They don’t have the time to check up on every single person who’s affected. That’s not their responsibility anyway. They’re heroes, not therapists.”

“Are you being serious? They always do check-ups. At least that’s what Chat Noir told me.”

Alya nearly fell out of her seat. She quickly straightened up and grabbed her phone, practically pressing her face against it. “What the hell are you talking about??? Why haven’t I heard about this before???”

“I didn’t think it was that big of a deal,” Nino replied honestly. “After the Bubbler incident, Chat Noir ended up taking me home. The only person I told was Adrien who didn’t react at all! I mean one of the coolest people in Paris escorted me home and all I got was a ‘cool dude’. Not even a gasp!” He stretched his arms out and yawned. “Anyway, Chat Noir came to visit me a couple of times after that to make sure I was okay. Honestly the strangest part about it was that he knew where I lived without me telling him my address. But he said he and Ladybug check up on people all the time so I guess they know somehow.” 

Holy shit.  _ Holy shit _ .

There was no way. No fucking way.

She refused to go there. She was already wrong about Chloe and going through another humiliation like that is something she would like to avoid. But she still couldn't help thinking about the possibility. Her mind wandered back to the conversation she had with Marinette the day after the Lady Wifi incident, her heart racing in her chest at the memory of her own words.

_ “With a mask and a costume, don’t you think he looks a little bit like Chat Noir?” _

“Did Adrien ask about Chat Noir’s visits?” Alya asked urgently.

“Yeah. He wasn’t enthusiastic about it or anything but he was curious. It’s ironic that he talks about Ladybug all the time but barely mentions Chat Noir,” Nino answered. “Why?” 

“Just wondering. Oh, would you look at the time? I have to go wake up the twins for dinner. I'll see you at school tomorrow!” 

She didn’t give him time to respond and disconnected the call. This could all easily be a coincidence. Nino was Adrien’s best friend, of course he would be concerned about him. Chat Noir and Ladybug might actually check up on akuma victims. This could all be one crazy misunderstanding.

But Alya knew better than that.

As soon as she turned her back to grab her phone after Lady Wifi was defeated, Ladybug and Chat Noir were gone. She hasn’t seen either of them since then either. So Chat’s claim about checking up on akuma victims couldn’t be true. It was just a cover up. And it was a huge red flag that he already knew where Nino lived. Only three people in their class have ever been over to his house, and that included herself. Marinette was out of the question, which left Adrien. It sounded crazy, but it made  _ sense _ . Chat Noir seemed off his game when Nino was the Bubbler and Alya noticed how attentive Adrien was with Nino after the incident. And most importantly: how did Adrien even know about Chat’s visits in the first place? 

Still, maybe she was overthinking this. She tended to take action before thinking this through, especially when it came to reporting. She lost track of how many times she put herself in danger by running into the middle of an akuma battle. Maybe it would be a better idea to drop this and move on. That would be the logical thing to do.

But Alya was a journalist, after all. Her curiosity always got the best of her. And this was too major to forget about. 

Before she could stop herself, she started looking up pictures of Adrien and Chat Noir. She made sure the twins were still sleeping and ran to the living room to use the printer, running back to her room with a huge pile of photos. She sorted them out on her bed, putting the picture she showed to Marinette of Adrien with Chat Noir’s suit drawn over him in the center. Alya took a step back to take it all in, her mind racing. 

Looks like the Ladyblog was going to have to wait longer than she thought. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you enjoyed the chapter! kudos/comments are greatly appreciated!!!
> 
> twitter: @IR8NHEART


	2. two

Something poked Alya’s cheek and she groaned in annoyance, blindly swatting it away. The peace only lasted for a second before it came back and Alya reluctantly opened her eyes. Ella was staring at her with a pout on her face, Etta right beside her. They both poked the teen’s cheek once last time for good measure, satisfied when she stayed awake. 

“What do you guys want?” Alya asked tiredly. 

“Breakfast,” Ella replied. “Can you make chocolate chip pancakes again?”

Alya ran a hand over her face and looked over at her alarm clock, relieved she had a decent amount of time to get herself and her sisters ready for school. Both her parents worked during the day and Nora was never home, so it became Alya’s responsibility to look after the twins. Make sure they get to school, pick them up from school, feed them, dress them - everything. It could be draining, and as much as she loved her sisters, they were still kids who acted out and refused to cooperate at the worst times. But if she didn’t look after them, no one else would. Her parents, especially her mom, were too engrossed in their work. The one time Nora did come home to visit, Ella and Etta didn't know who she was. That’s how long she’s been gone. 

So, this was Alya’s burden to carry. Alone. 

“You guys have to eat something other than pancakes every morning,” Alya scolded, reaching for her phone. “I’ll make oatmeal with some fruit instead.”

Etta stomped her feet. “ _ No _ . I want pancakes!”

Before she could argue, Alya noticed she never turned on her alarm. If it weren’t for her sisters waking her up, they all would’ve been late. Usually she never forgot to do something so important. What the hell happened? She put her phone down, freezing when she saw the mess in front of her. Pictures of Adrien and Chat Noir covered her bed, along with a variety of sticky notes filled with comparisons she made between them. 

_ Oh _ . Right. That happened. 

Alya immediately wrapped up her blankets, hiding the pictures from the twins. They didn’t seem to notice - much to her relief. 

“Fine. I’ll make pancakes but you guys have to eat some fruit on the side,” Alya compromised. 

Ella and Etta smiled brightly. “Deal!” 

She ushered them out of the room to get ready for the day and made sure her door was locked when she unraveled her blanket, revealing all the photos she printed. Alya didn’t recall falling asleep, but judging from how many notes were scattered across her bed, she was awake for a while. Staying up all night wasn’t something new for her anyway. Whenever she tried to fall asleep all she could hear was Hawkmoth’s voice echoing in her head. Even if that meant spending the day half-asleep? It was worth it. One strong cup of coffee is all she needed to wake herself up. It wasn’t the healthiest habit, but it prevented nightmares so it was good enough in Alya’s book. 

She yawned as she picked up a couple of the sticky notes she left, making a mental note to get some coffee in her system asap. Looking over everything she wrote down felt surreal. The more she looked into it, the more she started to realize why no one made the connection between Adrien and Chat Noir before. Sure they did look the same, but their personalities were way too different. Adrien was the textbook definition of a good guy, always being there for his friends and wearing a smile on his face. He could be oblivious at times and also unexpectedly shy. Chat Noir on the other hand was loud, never afraid to express what he was thinking. He was flirty with everyone, especially with Ladybug, and very confident. If anyone else were to consider Adrien and Chat Noir were the same person, they would immediately push the thought aside from their personalities alone. And if she was being honest, Alya started to doubt herself a little for that reason. 

But she liked to think she noticed things about other people no one else saw. 

Nino tended to mess around with his bracelets when he was nervous. She knew it was really bad if he was constantly repeating the action with each bracelet individually instead of all together. Marinette always pushed her hair behind her ear when she was anxious without realizing, doing it even when her hair was tied back. Hell, Alya even noticed Kim smelled more like chlorine on days before a big test or presentation. Swimming helped him calm down. So she was quick to notice when Adrien did things that seemed…. off. He was never the type of person to be cocky about anything, but sometimes when talking to Nino about certain things his ‘nice demeanor’ would break. There were times where he would be more bold, wearing a smirk on his face for a split second instead of his usual smile. She thought she was just seeing things at first, but now it made sense. 

Adrien and Chat Noir were the same person. She was sure of it. 

“Alyaaaaa! We want pancakes now!” Ella whined from the kitchen. “We got ready like you said!”

“And can you add extra chocolate chips? And smiley faces?” Etta added. 

Alya sighed and put her sticky notes down. “A ‘please’ would be nice to hear for once.” 

Getting the twins to school on time was a hassle but she always managed. This morning, however, the universe decided to turn against her. Alya accidentally burnt some of the pancakes and the twins refused to eat them. No amount of scolding changed their minds and she reluctantly made them a second batch. They ended up missing the bus because of this and she knew her mom was  _ not  _ going to be happy when she found out. Alya had to give up her daily cup of coffee to save some time and bike them to school. Luckily for her school for the twins started earlier, so she could still get to school at a decent time. Stopping by a nearby coffee shop sounded appealing, but the thought of her mom scolding her for being late  _ and  _ making her sisters late turned her off from the idea. A car honking their horn caught her attention and she swerved away when she realized it was directed at her. 

Biking on no sleep and no coffee wasn’t the best decision, but it did give her more time to think about her dilemma. 

Even though she was sure Adrien was Chat Noir, she still needed more proof. Most of what she knew now was speculation. What Nino told her about Chat Noir’s visits was the only piece of solid evidence she had, and that wasn’t enough. It would be easier to do this if Alya knew Adrien better, but she didn’t. It’s not like they weren’t friends. Everyone in their class was friendly with each other. But she didn’t know him as well as Nino and Marinette did. She slightly regretted not getting to know him on her first day of school. They were both new kids and could’ve had a chance to bond. She mainly knew him as Marinette’s crush. But if she was going to do this, that needed to change. 

Alya was so caught up in her thoughts she didn’t hear another car honking at her, nor the warnings from other people. Next thing she knew she was on the ground, the front wheel of her bike completely damaged from hitting the front of an expensive-looking car. Her head spun when she sat up, her glasses askew on her face. 

Well, at least she made it to school on time. 

A car door slammed shut followed by frantic footsteps, Marinette and Nino yelling Alya’s name as they ran over. A hand came into view and she looked up, faced with the boy consuming her thoughts. 

“Are you okay?” Adrien asked worriedly. “My driver didn’t even see you coming until it was too late.”

Now, Alya has had her low moments, but she was pretty sure this took the cake. Not only did she damage her bike, but she hit Adrien’s car. More specifically,  _ Gabriel Agreste’s _ car. 

Her mom was going to kill her. 

“I could be worse,” Alya replied honestly, reaching up to take the offered hand. 

That backfired when pain flared up her wrist and she immediately pulled back, clutching it tightly against her chest. Great. A possibly sprained wrist to add to her never-ending list of pain. Adrien opted to wrap an arm around her shoulders and help her stand that way instead. 

“What part of ‘Alya look out!’ do you not understand?” Nino snapped when he made it over to them. 

Marinette looked like she was ready to pass out. “ _ Never _ do that again. I almost lost my voice from how much I was screaming! How many times have I told you to be careful?”

“Guys I’m okay, it’s not a big deal,” Alya assured, adjusting her glasses. “It was just a small accident.

Both Marinette and Nino pointed to her injured wrist. “You call that small???”

“And I wouldn’t say this isn’t a big deal either.”

Seriously. What did she do to deserve this?

The teens turned around, faced with Gabriel Agreste on a tablet held by Adrien’s driver glaring at Alya. 

“This is a company car which  _ you  _ damaged. I expect full compensation,” he stated. 

“It’s a small scratch!” Alya argued.

“Young lady-”

“Father, please let this go. It was an accident. Just take it out of my allowance if you’re that mad,” Adrien cut in. 

And there it was again.

An intense look in his eyes that wasn’t usually there, a dangerous edge to his tone no one else but she caught onto. She knew Adrien’s relationship with his father wasn’t the best. He had to do everything to convince him to let him go to public school. From what Nino told her before the Bubbler incident, Adrien never really defied his father.

At least not in noticeable ways. 

“Very well. But we will be talking about this when you get home,” Mr. Agreste said sternly.

He sent one last glare towards Alya before his driver turned off the tablet. She let out a breath she didn’t even realize she was holding. 

“You didn’t have to do that,” Alya protested. “I  _ did  _ hit the car.”

“Not on purpose. My father was overreacting,” Adrien assured with a smile. 

All traces of his Chat Noir persona: gone. He was back to normal, the golden boy everyone loved. The change was so quick she almost missed it.

“We should probably get you to the nurses’ office,” Nino noted. “And do something about your bike.”

“My driver could take it to a bike shop to get it fixed while we’re in class,” Adrien offered. 

Said driver looked like he wanted to protest, but caved at the sight of the blonde’s pleading expression. 

“You seriously don’t have to do all this,” Alya tried to protest, but her bike was already being put in the trunk of the car. “You’ve done enough for me already.”

“Like you said: it’s not a big deal. Besides, I’d be a pretty terrible friend if I didn’t help.”

How was it possible for someone to be so nice? She muttered a thank you under her breath, feeling guilty for causing him so much trouble. She hated asking for help and was even more stubborn accepting it. This was a special circumstance so Alya wouldn’t argue, but she was determined to find a way to make it up to Adrien. Nino broke the sudden awkward silence and said he would go tell Miss Bustier what happened. That’s when they noticed the huge crowd of students watching them, Chloe standing in front with a smirk. Alya couldn't control the blush that spread across her face in embarrassment, silently dreading how much people were going to talk about her fall. Marinette offered to go with them to the nurses’ office when the bell rang, still extremely concerned about Alya but also a flustered mess because of Adrien. She walked ahead of them and nervously rambled, filling the silence. Adrien kept his arm around Alya’s shoulders the entire time to make sure she wouldn’t fall over. 

There was no sprain—thank god, and the nurse just gave her a pack of ice to press against her wrist. Adrien insisted on helping her walk back to class and Alya didn’t have the energy to argue. It was hard to say no to him, especially when she knew he only meant well. With the knowledge that her best friend was okay, Marinette wasn’t as frantic, but she nearly fell on her face several times when Adrien so much as made _ eye contact _ with her. Alya rolled her eyes fondly with a small smile on her face, already used to what she liked to call ‘Adrien antics’. 

Her smile quickly dropped once they got back to class. 

Everyone was staring, even Miss Bustier. She could easily blame it on what happened this morning. That probably was part of the reason why she was getting all this attention. But Alya could see how tense everyone was, the slight fear in their eyes. Even Chloe stood on guard, the usual smug look on her face not as present. 

The Lady Wifi incident was only a few days ago. It was still fresh in everyone’s minds. 

Alya kept her head down as Adrien led her to her seat, offering him a small smile when he pushed her chair in—she was still struggling to comprehend how one person could be so nice. The mood only got worse from that point on. Not even Nino had it this bad the day he came back after being akumatized. People forgot about the Bubbler after a day, but Lady Wifi refused to leave. It didn’t help that she streamed everything, showing her terrible actions to all the citizens of Paris. And attacking the mayor’s daughter didn’t help her reputation either. The worst part: they shared the same face. It made it harder for people to separate Lady Wifi from Alya. 

Just her fucking luck. 

She rested her head on her arms as soon as Miss Bustier called for a break, her lack of sleep catching up to her. Marinette rubbed her back soothingly in an attempt to comfort the teen. 

“Aw, how sad. Miss Wifi doesn’t look too good,” Chloe sneered, ruining the peace. “Up all night planning another way to attack Paris?”

Alya tensed at the nickname. Insults from the blonde usually never bothered her. She knew Chloe was all bark and no bite. But the girl could hold a grudge and still wasn’t over what happened. When she  _ really  _ wanted to be mean, she could. 

“Knock it off Chloe,” Marinette warned.

The blonde put her hands up innocently. “You’re right, for once. I wouldn’t want to get hurt again. We should stay as far away from her as possible.”

“I think you would benefit from learning when to shut up,” Nino snapped. 

“This doesn’t involve you Lahiffe.”

“It does when you’re bothering my friend.”

“Makes sense. Villains  _ do  _ have to stick together. I almost forgot you guys are akuma buddies!” 

Adrien had to hold Nino back from lunging towards her. “That’s enough Chloe. What’s your problem?” 

“My  _ problem  _ is that we’re expected to come to school every day and act like everything is normal when it isn’t! We have to be in the same class as these  _ freaks- _ ”

Alya, completely disregarding her injury, slammed her hands down on her desk and stood up. Marinette tried to grab her but the other teen was already face-to-face with Chloe. The entire room was silent, all eyes on them. Miss Bustier had stepped out for a second, leaving the students alone.

“You have some fucking nerve acting like you had no part in what happened,” Alya said, her voice dangerously low. “If you want to avoid being targeted again, I suggest trying to be less of a bitch all the time.”

“Is that a threat?” Chloe demanded.

“Keep pushing me and find out.”

They continued to glare at each other, both of them refusing to back down. Chloe eventually huffed and turned away first, going back to her seat. Alya did the same and crossed her arms as she sat down to try and hide how much she was shaking. 

She didn’t know where  _ that  _ came from. Being akumatized was one of the worst experiences of her life. The thought of it happening again was terrifying. 

“Alya, that was…. I don’t even know what to say.” Marinette placed a hand on her shoulder. “You okay?”

“Always,” she lied. “Chloe had it coming.”

“Well if you didn’t say that I would’ve done a lot worse,” Nino muttered, sinking into his seat. 

“Maybe I should’ve let you handle it. Your good friend Chat Noir could’ve stepped in,” Alya teased. 

Nino snorted. Adrien looked caught off guard for a second but quickly collected himself, though it didn’t go unnoticed. 

“I didn’t know you and Chat were so close,” Marinette noted. 

“I guess? I mean, he and Ladybug check up on all akuma victims so I’m not that special,” Nino replied.

The grip Marinette had on her pencil tightened. “Oh. Didn’t know that either.”

Alya almost forgot how opposed the other girl was to her theory about Adrien being Chat Noir when she mentioned it for the first time. Guess she wasn’t his biggest fan.

“It’s nice that they care,” Adrien remarked. 

“Not about everyone. I haven’t gotten a visit,” Alya said with a sigh. “Not that surprised though. I did try and expose their identities. They’re probably still mad.”

She won’t lie, that response was planned. As was mentioning Chat Noir’s visits. But she needed to gather all the proof she could, and that started with Adrien’s reactions to certain things.

And he did not disappoint. 

“ _ Lady Wifi _ tried to. Not you,” Adrien denied. “And there are a lot of people who’ve been akumatized. I’m sure they’ll get to you.”

“I doubt it.”

Nino narrowed his eyes “Just for that, the next time he comes to see me I’m giving him your address.”

Miss Bustier walked back into the classroom and clapped her hands, signaling their break was over. Marinette, who had strangely gone silent during their conversation, was already giving their teacher her undivided attention. Nino gave Alya a ‘this isn’t over’ look before turning around. And Adrien….

Adrien was staring. 

Alya couldn’t exactly pinpoint what was going through his head, but she had a good hunch it was about Chat Noir. She leaned towards him. “Everything okay?” 

“I was just wondering if the ice helped,” Adrien replied smoothly. “Does your wrist hurt as much?”

“No, the ice pack helped a lot. Thanks for checking.”

He smiled and turned his attention towards Miss Bustier who was going over their next big assignment. Alya tuned her out, her attention focused on Adrien. There was no doubt in her mind she would be getting a visit from a certain superhero soon. The next step was figuring out where to go from there. 

“—and since this project isn’t worth as much grade-wise, I thought we could switch things up this time around. I know my policy allows everyone to pick who they want to work with, but getting to know other people is a good way to strengthen your social skills. So this time, I’ll be assigning who you work with.” 

The class immediately started protesting. Alya and Marinette shared a disappointed look, not very pleased with the idea either. 

“I promise you all this will end up being a good experience! You never know what could happen when you get to know someone new,” Miss Bustier assured. “Now for the people you’ll be working with: Alix I’m putting you with Ivan, Marinette will be with Juleka, Nino and Chloe will be a pair, Alya you’ll be with Adrien—”

Suddenly she didn’t hate the idea as much. Adrien looked back at her as Nino complained about Chloe with Marinette. “I know we’re definitely working together but,” he stuck his hand out. “partners?”

Alya met him halfway. “Partners.”

The next steps of her plan were officially set in motion. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you enjoyed the chapter! kudos/comments are greatly appreciated!!!
> 
> twitter: @IR8NHEART


	3. three

“This is it. This is how I go out. It was nice knowing you guys.”

“Nino, you’re working with Chloe. Not the devil.”

“Do you hear yourself??? She  _ is  _ the devil! A reincarnation! And if I’m not careful she’ll take me out before I have a chance to defend myself!” 

Alya couldn’t hold back her amusement at the sight of Nino flailing his arms wildly in distress as he continued to rant. She genuinely did feel bad he had to deal with Chloe, especially after their confrontation, but there was no way out of it. Miss Bustier made it very clear the partners she picked were final. 

“Look at it this way: maybe you’ll see a side to her that isn’t so bad,” Adrien pointed out.

“What? Her other demon side?” Nino scoffed. 

“Maybe you’ll get to see her devil horns,” Alya teased.

He groaned and slammed his head down on the lunch table. “I need new friends.” Marinette offered him one of her cookies and he immediately perked up. “I take it back—Marinette is my new best friend. The rest of you can leave!”

“I’m being serious. Chloe isn’t the best person, but I’ve known her since we were kids. She can be nice.”

Alya frowned. “No offense, but how can you  _ still  _ defend her after all the horrible things she’s said and done? You’re not obligated to fight for her.”

“I’m not excusing her actions. I just think it wouldn’t hurt to give her another chance,” Adrien clarified. 

“I don’t know. I feel like she’s gotten plenty of chances already,” Marinette pointed out. She paused when she saw the sad expression on his face and immediately backtracked. “B-But maybe you’re right! People can change!” 

Nino took the last bite of the cookie and raised his hands to act as horns on either side of his head. “People can change, but demons can’t. Once a demon  _ always  _ a demon.”

That somehow led to Marinette and Nino bickering about whether or not demons had hearts— ”How do you know a demon wouldn’t want to be good?” Marinette asked incredulously. Nino narrowed his eyes. “They’re literal spawns of the devil. Evil is all they know! Exhibit a: Chloe!”— and Adrien listened silently, picking at his food. Alya also remained silent and discreetly watched him, a million questions floating in her mind. 

The more she noticed about him only led to more confusion. He came to her defense when Chloe took their argument too far but continued to defend her. After everything, Adrien still somehow sees good in her. And Alya saw the slight anger in his eyes when she questioned him. She doesn’t know what happened between them, but if he continued to associate with Chloe then he must have his own reasons. 

The bell rang and Adrien was the first to leave, mumbling an excuse about wanting to get to class on time. Nino and Marinette didn’t question him and continued their debate on the way to their next class. Alya watched Adrien go, feeling slightly guilty. The rest of the day was uneventful. Though it did feel like time was dragging on and Alya couldn’t stop thinking about Adrien. She almost cried in relief when the final bell rang and ran to her locker to collect all her books. Marinette met her there with Juleka by her side, saying goodbye when the other teen had to leave. 

“Juleka is really cool. I’m excited to work with her,” Marinette said, leaning back against the lockers. 

“Oh? So quick to replace me?” Alya clutched her heart and dramatically threw her head back. “The betrayal! I thought what we had was special!”

Marinette rolled her eyes with a smile on her face. “Don’t worry, you’ll always be my number 1 partner. You’re irreplaceable.” 

“Music to my ears.” 

She closed her locker and they made their way towards the front of the school. “By the way, don’t go replacing me either! I know Adrien is—”

“—the most beautiful person to exist?” Alya finished with a smirk. 

“I was going to say  _ amazing _ ,” Marinette denied, her face turning red. “But he’s no match for my poster-making skills.”

“Tell me something I don’t know. You’re one of the most talented kids in our class. You and Juleka are guaranteed an A already.”

Marinette bumped her shoulder against hers. “Hey, so are you. With your writing alone? You’re good to go.”

“That would be the case if my partner didn’t already despise me,” Alya muttered. 

“That’s not true! Adrien doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. I honestly don’t think he can hate someone.” Marinette sighed dreamily. “That’s what makes him so great.”

“Did you  _ see  _ how upset he got when I called Chloe out? She’s more of a friend to him than me!” 

That realization had her stopping in her tracks. Of course Adrien would get upset. Here she was, someone he barely knew, talking bad about one of his oldest friends. Today was the most they’ve interacted, all because Alya hit his car. They acquaintances at most if she was being honest.

She hated how much it bothered her.

“Hey, don’t say that. Sure he has a history with Chloe, but that doesn’t mean he values her friendship over yours. Besides, this is a good opportunity for you guys to get to know each other better,” Marinette assured. 

“I guess. I  _ should  _ know more about your future husband,” Alya agreed, laughing when the shorter teen shoved her. 

Don’t get her wrong, Alya did want to get to the bottom of Chat Noir’s real identity. But she did genuinely want to be better friends with Adrien. They were mutual friends because of Nino and Marinette, but they never really got the chance to hang out one-on-one. And talking to him solely because Marinette was too shy to do so at times didn’t count. This was her chance to bond with him. 

They walked across the main foyer of the school, pausing when they saw Nino and Chloe up ahead. It looked like they were having a civil conversation, but both of them were extremely tense. Chloe noticed them approaching and immediately clammed up. She walked away without another word, only turning around to glare at Alya over her shoulder. 

“What was that all about?” Marinette asked Nino when they reached him. “Did she ask about the project?”

“Surprisingly yes. She told me she was happy she wasn’t stuck working with a complete idiot. I’m pretty sure that’s the nicest thing she’s ever said to me,” he replied. 

“You sure she didn’t possess you for a second?” Alya questioned skeptically.

Marinette hit her shoulder lightly. “Be nice! At least she’s trying.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it with my own eyes.” She crossed her arms and walked out of school, the other teens trailing behind. “She didn’t even apologize for the bullshit she said earlier.”

“Baby steps. She’ll get there eventually. I hope,” Nino tried to reason. “I’m trying to be optimistic.” 

A car horn honking caught their attention and they saw Adrien standing near his driver’s parked car, Alya’s now-fixed bike beside him. Nino and Marinette quickly made excuses about why they had to go—Marinette taking longer to speak when Adrien met her gaze—leaving the two teens alone. Alya reached for her bike, flinching back when her hands touched Adrien’s. She laughed awkwardly and he did the same, both of them looking everywhere but at each other. 

“Thank you, again. I owe you big time,” Alya said once she got a hold of her bike without any further awkward tension. 

“It’s really not a big deal. And you don’t owe me anything.” Adrien rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “I mean, that’s what friends are for. Right?”

“Right.”

Somehow the atmosphere grew even more awkward.

Alya tightened the grip she had on the handlebars of her bike and sighed, finally looking him in the eye. “Look, I understand if you’re mad at me because of what I said about Chloe. But we just have to get through this project and then we can go back to how things usually are.”

“Why would I be mad? I thought  _ you  _ were mad,” Adrien replied, catching her off-guard. “You were right. I was able to convince her to be nicer to Nino since they have to work together, but she refused to properly apologize for what she said to both of you.”

That explained why she approached Nino first. And the glare she sent Alya’s way. 

“Our friendship wasn’t always this one-sided. I can’t even call whatever we have now a friendship anyway. I wish I could let go of her completely, but I can’t,” Adrien continued. “I guess I’m—”

“—trying to hold onto something familiar?” Alya finished. 

Adrien blinked owlishly. “Y-Yeah. How did you—”

“Lucky guess.” she shrugged. “Trust me when I say I get where you’re coming from.”

Their situations weren’t the same, but she understood. It’s why she always set the table every night for six people instead of three. Why she waited up late, constantly waiting for her parents to walk through the door. Why she still sent a text to her older sister each morning, even though she knew she wouldn’t get a response. 

She was holding onto a family she lost a long time ago. 

“I hope you know I don’t expect you to get along with Chloe anytime soon. Or at all. Not until she decides to try and make a change,” Adrien clarified. “I just can’t promise I won’t stop trying to help her.”

“And I hope you can tolerate me complaining about her because I  _ definitely  _ can’t promise I won’t,” Alya said with a smirk. 

The blonde laughed. “Fair enough.”

Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she took it out, freezing when she saw the amount of missed calls she had. All from her mom. Dread settled in Alya’s stomach as she scrolled through her notifications, seeing one single text message. 

**_mom_ ** _ : picked up the twins from school. talk when you get home. _

Yeah. She was screwed.

“Everything okay?” Adrien asked cautiously. 

Alya plastered a fake smile on her face. “Fine. I have to get home soon, that’s all. So I’ll text you about the project?”

She almost forgot who she was actually talking to until she saw the look on his face. It felt like he was looking right through her, his eyes searching for something. He seemed like he wanted to say something but held himself back, opting to push whatever he was thinking to the side. Adrien reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, oblivious to her inner freak-out. “Sure. Let me give you my number.”

How Alya didn’t have his number until now was above her. Especially after Marinette gushed about the very first text he sent her for a week straight. (He only asked about a homework assignment. To Marinette, that was as good as a date.) Their hands touched again during the number exchange and they both fumbled, saying a quick goodbye before going their separate ways. Things were off to a rocky start, but being awkward was better than being angry. At any other time, if Alya was partnered up with Adrien, it wouldn’t be as complicated. But she wasn’t just dealing with Adrien. She was also dealing with Chat Noir, and the more time she spent around him the more the lines blurred between them. For the longest time she thought they were two separate people, but she was wrong. They were the same person who happened to be her classmate. It was messing with her head. 

Alya was so busy mulling over this she was confused when she saw her mom standing in the middle of the living room when she got home until she remembered her text. The angry expression on her face was unsettling.

Well. This should be fun.

“Not only did Ella and Etta miss the bus and were late to school, but you crashed your bike?” Mrs. Cesaire snapped.

“The twins were only late by a couple of minutes!” Alya defended. “And how did you even find out about the bike thing?”

“Mr. Agreste called right after the school did.” Of fucking course he did. “What? Did you plan on hiding it from me?”

“How could I hide a broken bike?” Alya asked sarcastically. 

Somehow her mom looked even angrier. “Is this some kind of joke to you? I trust you to take care of your sisters and yet you continue to prove to me how irresponsible you are!”

“Irresponsible??? I made one small mistake!”

“This is only one of the several mistakes you’ve made. I thought you knew better than this. Your sisters are counting on you to look after them. When are you going to start taking responsibility for your actions?” 

Alya wanted to scream. This wasn’t supposed to be her problem. Her mom was the one who was supposed to take care of her sisters. Take care of  _ her _ . She did the best she could, and all her mom ever did was reprimand her. When was  _ she  _ going to start taking responsibility and be a mom?

From the way things were going, never. And as much as Alya wanted to call her out, she knew it would do more harm than good. It was better to stay silent. No matter how badly she wanted to scream at the top of her lungs. 

“I’m sorry. It won’t happen again,” she muttered. 

Her mom sighed. “Yes, it will. But I appreciate the apology.” Alya’s eye twitched. “I have to go, the hotel needs me. I won’t be home until late. And don’t expect to see your father either. He won’t be back from his business trip for a couple of days.”

“What business trip? He never mentioned anything,” Alya questioned, slightly hurt from being out of the loop. 

“Something about a zoo workers convention. I don’t know.” Mrs. Cesaire grabbed her purse and walked towards the door. “He didn’t give me all the details.”

The unbothered tone in her mom’s voice didn’t sit right with her at all. She wrung her hands nervously. “Mom?”

“What now? I’m going to be late,” she demanded.

“Is everything okay? With dad?” Alya asked cautiously. 

Her mom didn’t answer right away. The question didn’t catch her off guard. It seemed like she was already expecting it. There was no hint of emotion on her face besides irritation. “Sure.” 

She slammed the door behind her. The silence that followed was suffocating. 

Alya didn’t know how long she stood in place. Her eyes we locked on the door, refusing to waver. She had a hunch something was off for a long time. But it never got this bad, not until now. When  _ was  _ the last time she saw her dad? Talked to him? She couldn’t remember. Alya took a deep breath and forced herself to move, making a beeline towards her parents’ room. The closet they shared, which usually stayed open, was closed. 

All his clothes were gone. 

Alya slowly closed the closet back up. She became hyper-aware of how fast she was breathing and clutched her chest, trying to calm herself down. This was the worst time to freak-out, especially with the twins in the next room. They would start to panic and that’s the last thing Alya wanted. With that in mind, she took out her phone to send a text and tried to relax and get her breathing back under control.

_ to dad: _

**_alya_ ** _ : heard about ur work trip from mom. hope its going well  _

Vague and straight to the point. It gave her some sort of comfort that her dad would feel slightly guilty when he got the message for being so distant. The opportunity to confront him was also there, but Alya held herself back. Just like she did with her mom. She was supposed to be the person everyone depended on, including her parents. As selfish as they could be, she needed to be strong for their sake. The same thing went for her friends. She didn’t want to be a burden. They counted on her to be their rock, and she refused to let them down.

Suffering in silence wasn’t fun, but it was what she had to do. 

“Alya?” She turned around and saw Ella and Etta standing in the doorway of their parents’ room. “Is it time for dinner yet?”

“Oh sh- shirtballs. I didn’t realize how late it is.” Alya ushered them out of the room and led them towards the kitchen. “I’ll get started on it now. What do you guys want?” 

“Can we have calzones?” Ella asked.

Alya narrowed her eyes. “You guys hate calzones. The first time mom tried to make them for you threw a fit.”

“We don’t like them that much, but they’re your favorite,” Etta replied. 

Oh.

She forgot how perceptive the twins could be. They were young but smart enough to notice when something is wrong. Alya smiled gently and ruffled their hair, ignoring their complaints. “If you guys say so. Let’s have some calzones.” 

There were zero complaints about the food. The twins ate quietly and hugged Alya in thanks, dragging her along when she finished washing the dishes to read them a bedtime story. It didn’t take them long to fall asleep and she tucked them in, kissing their foreheads before she left. 

Alya flopped face-first on her bed once she changed into her pajamas and groaned. This was the hardest  _ and  _ worst day of her life. All she wanted to do now is sleep and not think about anything—

_ Lady Wifi _

Her eyes shot open.

She scrambled to turn on the lamp beside her bed, feeling slightly more at ease sitting in the light. After such a long day, her own  _ bedroom  _ wasn’t a place she could find peace. Alya hated to admit it, but she wasn’t a big fan of the dark anymore. It didn’t feel safe. Not with Hawkmoth’s voice lurking in her head. She found herself making excuses to keep the lights on in her room ever since the Lady Wifi incident. 

Alya Cesaire, the fearless journalist, scared of the dark. How humiliating. 

A knock on her window interrupted her thoughts. She furrowed her eyebrows and got up from bed to push her curtain out of the way. Chat Noir was on the other side wearing a sheepish smile on his face. Nino was  _ not  _ kidding when he said he would give Chat Noir her address. Though his visit was expected, Alya didn’t think he would be so fast to see her. He was sitting on the railing of the fire escape outside the window, twirling his staff mindlessly. She couldn’t explain why she was so nervous all of a sudden. It was just Adrien. But from their awkward encounters today, she didn’t have high hopes this conversation would be any different. 

“Madame Ladyblogger, it’s been a while,” Chat Noir greeted with a wink when the window was opened. He jumped down from the railing, setting one end of his staff on the ground and leaning against it. 

Alya crossed her arms. “Shouldn’t you be patrolling or something right now?”

“I’m done for the night.” Lie. “Ladybug had to double-check another area of the city so she won’t be joining us.” Another lie. 

“Or she would rather swing around Paris a million times than see me,” Alya deadpanned. “I’m surprised you can stand to look at me. Let alone come all this way to talk. How did you get my address anyway?”

The hero frowned. “A friend of yours told me. And Ladybug and I make it our business to know important details about akuma victims.” 

“So you stalk people?” 

“What???  _ No _ ,” Chat Noir argued. He pointed at her accusingly. “You’re trying to change the subject. I’m not mad about what happened. Neither is Ladybug.” 

“I find that hard to believe,” Alya muttered. 

“If there’s anyone to blame, that would be Hawkmoth. As usual. He’s the bad guy. You didn’t do anything wrong—”

“Except I did. I could’ve fought back. I was trapped in my own body and all I could do was watch myself hurt innocent people. I wasn’t strong enough.”

….Where the hell did  _ that  _ come from? Her mouth was moving before her brain could catch up. Opening up this much was not her intention. Strangely enough, she didn’t feel awkward about it. Chat Noir was just as much as a stranger to her as Adrien, but maybe that’s why this felt so easy. Behind a mask, you can be anyone you want to be. Chat Noir  _ is  _ Adrien. A piece of himself he hides away and only comes out rarely. Two separate parts of his life that he keeps separate. Alya was talking to the part of himself that he kept hidden away. Adrien would know everything but wouldn’t bring it up at school for the sake of keeping his identity a secret. She could say anything she wanted. 

Alya was used to keeping things to herself, but after the day she had, she needed to vent. 

“When you say you were trapped in your own body…. what exactly do you mean by that?” Chat Noir asked gently. 

“The only thing I could see was darkness. I couldn’t move or speak. It felt like some invisible force was holding me down. I heard some muffled voices, but Hawkmoth’s was the loudest,” Alya replied, her voice quiet.

“That sounds awful.”

“It was. And I don’t know what death feels like, but I imagine it can’t be worse than that.”

“That’s a morbid way of thinking about it.”

Alya shrugged. “It’s the truth.”

“So, you remember  _ everything _ ? I’ve never heard someone report that. People can recall bits and pieces but they’re never conscious during the akumatization,” Chat Noir said in disbelief.

Alya threw her hands in the air. “Great. So I’m the lucky akuma victim who gets to relive that traumatizing experience every time I close my fucking eyes.” 

Chat Noir went silent, staring at her curiously. It was trippy how much he resembled Adrien. Alya doesn’t understand how she didn’t see it earlier. His hair was slightly different and he had a completely different outfit and attitude, but there was one feature that stood out the most. 

His eyes.

They were bright green, the same hue as Adrien’s. And it didn’t matter what he said or how he acted, his eyes showed what he was really feeling. Alya could see the hesitation when he greeted her, despite his confident appearance. Everyone says eyes are the window to the soul, and in this case, it couldn’t be more true. Chat Noir’s eyes gave away everything he was trying to hide. His mask couldn’t protect him from that.

“Music.”

Alya’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “What?”

“Music,” Chat Noir repeated. “I’m not an expert on this sort of thing, but music can help. It’s not a temporary solution, but it’s a start.” Alya nodded. “I’ll take that into consideration.”

A beeping sound came from Chat Noir’s ring and he straightened up. “I have to go, but I’ll be back to see you soon. Take care of yourself.” 

Alya bit her lip nervously, thoughts running haywire in her head as she watched him jump back on the ledge of the fire escape. She climbed out of her window and grabbed his wrist before he could leave. “Chat?” He looked back at her. 

“Thank you for making my bad day a little less shitty.”

Chat Noir looked surprised. “I didn’t do much.”

“You listened. That’s more than enough.” And she meant it. 

Alya let him go and he stood on the railing of the fire escape and bowed. “Until we meet again, Madame Ladyblogger.” He fell back and used his staff to launch himself up into the sky, disappearing into the night. 

She stood on the fire escape for a little longer, her gaze locked on the direction Chat Noir left in. Eventually she went back into her room and grabbed her phone, sitting at her desk. She scrolled through her contacts until she landed on who she was looking for. 

**_alya_ ** _ : u free to meet up after school on friday & go to the library to start working on the project? _

**_adrien_ ** _ : sounds good _

**_alya_ ** _ : cool :)  _

She leaned back in her seat and grabbed her earbuds, playing a song from Clara Nightingale’s recent album. Her eyes wandered back towards the window and didn't move the entire night, a certain pair of green eyes engraved in her mind. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you enjoyed the chapter! kudos/comments are greatly appreciated!!!
> 
> twitter: @IR8NHEART


	4. four

The next few days were hell. 

Akumatization levels were at an all-time high and were showing no signs of slowing down. Everyone was on edge, especially Alya. She couldn’t remember the last time a situation had stressed her out this much. But this was different. It’s not like she was worried about an overdue project or a huge exam she didn’t study for. Getting akumatized was terrifying. Going through it a second time was the last thing Alya wanted. So she did what she always did: acted normal. She was the one telling her classmates not to worry so much. Whatever fears they had she listened and comforted them as best as she could. That’s who she was. The person everyone relied on. Both at school and home. No matter how terrified she felt, she did her best to push those feelings down and be the person everyone else needed her to be. 

Nino typically called her out for being so careless with her own well-being, but Chris caught a fever and he was focused on taking care of him. He tended to be overprotective when it came to his younger brother and from how fast he got ready to leave after school ended for the day, the fever wasn’t getting any better. Marinette never really caught on like Nino did, despite being Alya’s best friend. She could be oblivious to the true feelings of people around her. Not that Alya blamed her for it. Marinette always had something else on her mind and this week it was much more obvious than usual. She claimed her family’s bakery had been busy recently and it was hard to keep up with orders which wasn’t completely unbelievable. Both of them had their own stuff to deal with.

Adrien, on the other hand, did not. Not to the extent he stopped noticing things. 

Alya noticed he watched her more often which was a given. After opening up to Chat Noir it was bound to happen, but nothing between them changed majorly. He didn’t go out of his way to start up a conversation or ask to hang out. They were on the path to becoming better friends, but that didn’t happen overnight. It would definitely raise some suspicion on Alya’s part if it did. Though she already _was_ suspicious that was beside the point. Adrien was smarter than people gave him credit for. It’s how he’s been able to keep his secret identity hidden for so long. Chat Noir knew Alya was going through something, not Adrien. Still, that didn’t mean he didn’t have a way of looking out for her.

“My driver made a pit stop at a cafe on the way to school. Thought it would be nice to get everyone something,” Adrien told her one morning, holding out a cup of coffee and a chocolate croissant for her to take. Alya took the items, slightly taken aback. Her shock increased after taking a sip of the coffee. “How did you—”

“Nino mentioned it once. Said he was convinced your taste buds are broken because you’re the only person he knows who loves black coffee,” the blonde replied with a smile. 

“You could’ve texted me to double-check if you weren’t sure about my coffee order,” Alya pointed out.

Adrien shrugged. “Would’ve ruined the surprise.” 

It was the dorkiest excuse she’s ever heard. But it worked. And it made _sense_. Adrien was a kind person who did nice things without being asked. It wasn’t weird or out of the ordinary. It was just Adrien being Adrien. Nothing for anyone to dwell over. Except for Marinette. She almost passed out when Alya told her, going on to gush about how thoughtful Adrien was for the rest of the day. 

Thoughtful _and_ sneaky.

Adrien knew how to juggle his two separate lives. Alya had to give him credit for that. And she won’t lie: it was nice to have at least one person who was going out of their way to be there for her, even with a small gesture. It made her rough week a little bit brighter. But that was Wednesday. 

Thursday ruined everything. 

Her mom took a day off of work which was extremely rare. A small part of Alya thought maybe her mom wanted to be at home more. That hope was crushed when her mom sat her down while the twins got ready for school holding an envelope in her hands. 

“I need you to stop by the zoo and give this to your father,” her mom said. 

Alya narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “Why can’t you do it yourself?”

“The zoo isn’t that far from the school and since I’m home I need to look after your sisters,” her mom explained. “Besides….”

Alya got on her bike and rode towards the zoo, the envelope feeling heavy in her backpack. Her mom’s words played on repeat in her head. “... it’ll be easier if it comes from you.” 

It didn’t take Alya long to find her dad. He was always by the black panther exhibit. His co-workers greeted her as she walked through the zoo and she waved back awkwardly, ready to leave. Coming to the zoo was never fun anymore. Not when it was a place her dad would rather be than home. The envelope felt even heavier in her hands when she found him getting food ready to feed the black panther. Alya didn’t give him time to say anything and shoved the envelope in his hands. 

“Mom asked me to give this to you. Don’t know what it is.” She ignored the startled look on his face. “I’ll see you around.” 

“Hold on!” Mr. Cesaire protested. “You came all this way just to give me this and leave? You’re my daughter, not some stranger.”

Her hands clenched into fists at her sides. Walking away would’ve been wise, but her anger was too much to ignore. “Yeah dad, I did. And to be honest, recently you’ve treated me more like a stranger than a daughter. I don’t have much I want to say,” Alya said coldly. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to get to school.” 

“I’m trying my best!” She turned around to leave, glaring over her shoulder when her dad followed. “I know I haven’t been the best recently, but work is important.” 

Alya whirled around. “More important than your family?”

This is the last argument she wanted to have. It was too early in the morning and she just wanted to _leave_. Which she went to do once her dad went quiet. The sound of the envelope being ripped open stopped her. 

“Family _is_ important to me,” her dad argued fiercely. “I’ll prove it.”

“Dad—”

His eyes scanned over the papers, the determined expression on his face dropping. Alya grew nervous at the sudden rage in his eyes. She cautiously walked towards him to catch a peek of what he was reading. He slammed the papers down on the ground before she could. 

“Every single time I think we’re getting somewhere, she pulls this bullshit!” Mr. Cesaire snapped, stomping on the papers angrily. One was blown away by the wind and landed in front of Alya. She bent down to pick it up, trying to decipher the parts her dad didn’t ruin. It only took a couple of seconds for her to connect the dots.

Divorce papers. 

“—and we were _happy_. Me, Marlena, and Nora. Life used to be so easy—”

The paper crumbled even more in Alya’s grip. “What did you just say?” 

Mr. Cesaire froze. He frantically shook his head. “I didn’t mean—”

“Where’s Nora now dad? _Huh_? You’re ‘golden child’ got up and left!” she snapped. “Is that what you want me and the twins to do? Leave? Are we that much of a nuisance to you?”

“Honey—”

“Sign the divorce papers. I don’t care. For the longest time, all I’ve wanted was for us to be a family again. What a stupid fucking dream.” Alya threw the paper in her dad’s face. “Go to hell.”

She didn’t recall exactly what happened after that. 

The crushed look on her dad’s face was too painful to forget. He didn’t say anything else. No denials, no trying to defend himself. He gave up. The look in his eyes said enough. Deep down, he knew she was right. They stood in a painful silence, not noticing the akuma until it was too late. Somehow Alya had ended up on the ground, Animan above her ready to strike. A pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her away just in time. Chat Noir came into view and asked if she was hurt, his eyes scanning her for injuries. 

His voice sounded far away. Alya couldn’t focus on anything but her rapid breathing, her eyes squeezed shut in distress. Her mom had done it again. Thrown Alya into a situation she had no business being a part of. Her mom should’ve been the one to give her dad the divorce papers, not her. This wasn’t Alya’s burden to carry. And yet, this was her fault. It always was. The one time she expressed how she actually felt, it ended in disaster. Her dad had been akumatized right in front of her and she couldn’t do anything to stop it. She should be _angry_. Angry at her parents for putting her in this position. But no. The guilt was eating her alive and she hated it. 

Tears managed to escape from her eyes at the sound of Animan’s roar and she covered her ears, her entire body trembling. The last thing she remembered was Chat Noir hugging her gently, shielding her away from the fight. Alya woke up in a hospital bed, her mom standing in the doorway with a grim expression on her face. Her dad was nowhere to be seen. 

“Right after Ladybug and Chat Noir got rid of the akuma, your father left. They don’t know where he went,” Mrs. Cesaire explained. “You passed out and Chat Noir brought you here. Ladybug tried to track down your father but didn’t find any leads.”

Alya kept her eyes on the ceiling, counting the tiles. Her mom sighed and walked into the room to stand beside the bed. “I’m glad you’re alright.”

“Divorce papers? Seriously?” the teen asked quietly, disregarding everything her mom said. “How would something that major be easier coming from me?” 

“I didn’t think this would happen.”

Alya scoffed. “Clearly.” 

“Don’t use that tone with me,” her mom warned. “But you know what? This is on me. Trusting you with this wasn’t smart. Especially after you’ve been akumatized yourself. I thought you would be able to calm your father down but you obviously need time to get a hold of your own emotions. I should’ve known something like this would happen.” 

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. It amazed Alya how her mom was able to blame everything on her no matter what the situation was. Here she was laying on a _hospital bed_ , and that wasn’t enough for her mom to cut her some slack. 

“If and when your father decides to show up again, I’ll talk to him,” her mom continued. She held Alya’s hand and squeezed it gently. “I have to go handle some business at work. The doctor agreed to keep you here for a couple of hours just to make sure you’re okay. I’ll come to pick you up after the twins get out of school.”

“You’re going to leave me here alone?” Alya questioned in disbelief. “Can’t your job wait for one day?” 

“I’m sorry honey. I really am,” Mrs. Cesaire replied, frowning when Alya pulled her hand away. “But you won’t be alone.” 

That’s when she noticed Chat Noir leaning against the doorway. He offered Alya a small smile who was too shocked to react. Her mom said a quick goodbye and walked out of the room, leaving the teens alone. 

“Didn’t think this was how we were going to meet again,” Chat Noir commented lightly. “And don’t get me wrong, I do love the occasional swooning damsel as much as the next hero, but this is not what I meant.” 

The underlying worry in his voice was evident. It hit Alya that not only did she cry and have a mini panic attack in front of someone else, which she's never done, but it happened in front of Chat Noir. In front of _Adrien_. Who’s been at the hospital ever since and was missing school because of her. And with how strict his dad could be, he was bound to get in trouble. 

Great. Something _else_ she was to blame for. 

“Thank you for saving me and for bringing me here, but you don’t have to stay.” Alya fiddled with the IV needle in her hand, suddenly feeling self-conscious. “You’ve done enough for me already.”

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure the last thing you want is to be alone right now.”

Alya gaped at him in astonishment. “That’s not—”

“I want to stay. But if you seriously want me to leave, say the word and I’m gone,” Chat Noir assured. 

She didn’t protest and the hero took that as his answer. He was right. Why try to deny it? Alya didn’t want to be alone. The lingering fear of not only Animan, her own father, but also Hawkmoth wouldn’t go away. It was ironic how she found the company of Chat Noir, technically a stranger, more comforting than her mom’s. Said hero grabbed one of the patient room chairs and dragged it over to sit beside her. 

“Your mom is wrong, by the way. None of this is on you.” His voice was hesitant, but his words were still confident. 

“We both know how people are akumatized. It’s partly my fault,” Alya argued weakly.

Chat Noir shrugged. “Then you had a right to be upset. Right now, there isn’t a way to prevent akumatizations. That doesn’t mean we stop getting angry or frustrated. You have a right to feel whatever way towards your dad, and nothing your mom says can change that.” 

He said it like it was the simplest thing in the world. Alya was rendered speechless. Chat Noir coughed awkwardly. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to overstep—”

“No!” Alya exclaimed, blushing at the loudness of her voice. “I mean—you didn’t overstep. I needed to hear that. So, thank you. Again.” 

“Anything for a fur-end,” he replied with a wink, trying to lighten the mood. 

“That was the worst pun I’ve ever heard.”

“Excuse me??? I’ll have you know my puns are paw-some!”

“ _Enough_.”

Chat Noir did ease up on the cat puns—and he did manage to get Alya to laugh at one and didn’t let her forget it afterward—and the rest of their conversation was light-hearted. Alya fell asleep when a nurse came in to give her some medication and when she woke up, Chat Noir was gone and her mom stood at the foot of her bed while Etta and Ella jumped on her. They refused to detach themselves from Alya the entire ride home and insisted on sleeping in her room when it was time for bed. The teen allowed it, too tired to argue. Her mom made dinner before she left for work again, leaving the food on the table without saying goodbye. Typical. 

Alya’s phone was overflowing with messages and missed calls which she ignored and decided they could wait until morning. She did send a quick text to Marinette and Nino to let them know she was okay, and after much deliberation, also sent one to Adrien. The messages from her dad didn’t go unnoticed but Alya refused to open them. She laid in bed with her sisters, staring up at the ceiling with music blasting in her ears. They fell asleep right away while she didn’t bother to try, not wanting to deal with nightmares. Next thing she knew her alarm went off and it was Friday. The last day of her hell-filled week. She just had to get through one more day and then she could spend the weekend relaxing. 

It was easier said than done.

About seven articles have already been written about the incident at the zoo and multiple videos from the news and akuma update YouTube channels were published overnight. Everyone knew about what went down by now which meant all eyes would be on her. _Again_. Alya could never catch a break. 

She got the twins ready and on the bus in time with five minutes to spare. She took that time and went through her morning routine slowly, not in any rush to get to school early. Someone knocked on the door when Alya was packing her lunch and she went to answer it, slightly confused as to who it could be. Nino stood on the other side and wasted no time before pulling her into a hug and lifting her off the ground. 

“I owe you like a million apologies,” he cried. “I’m the worst friend in the world, no, the _galaxy_. I was so worried about Chris and I didn’t even think—”

“Nino, _please_ put me down. I can’t breathe,” Alya wheezed. 

Nino gasped in alarm and set her down. “Oh god and now I almost killed you??? I’m the _worst_.”

“You’re being overdramatic dumbass. I’m fine,” Alya assured. “And it’s not like there’s anything you could’ve done. You’re not a bad friend, okay?” 

“Okay,” Nino agreed. “But you’re not fine.”

“I’m getting there,” Alya corrected. “What are you doing here anyway?”

“Thought it would be nice to walk to school together. Marinette and Adrien wanted to come, but you know how Adrien’s dad is and something with Marinette’s parents came up so they’ll meet us at school,” Nino replied. “And I wanted to make sure you’re okay. Well, semi-okay.” 

Alya hugged him gently. “Seriously, you’re the best. I mean it.” 

She didn’t know what she did to get a friend like Nino, but she was eternally grateful. 

Alya finished packing her lunch and grabbed her backpack before leaving with Nino. The walk to school was nice—she tried to convince him to let her bike them to school but he refused—the teens talking about anything that came to mind. Nino mostly carried the conversation which Alya didn’t mind. Her mind kept wandering back to what happened at the zoo. She didn’t know if she was being paranoid or overthinking things, but even if her dad was the one who was akumatized, she still felt some sort of… pull. That’s the only way she could describe it. Almost like the akuma was calling out to her, which sounded crazy the more she thought about it. It was probably all in her head. The sound of her name being called snapped Alya out of her thoughts and her eyes landed on Marinette who was waving at them with Adrien standing with her. Nino hooked his arm around hers and pulled her along towards their friends. 

“Do you have any idea how worried I was?” Marinette asked, gripping Alya’s shoulders and shaking her. “It was all over the news and you didn’t pick up and when I tried to call your mom she didn’t pick up and the hospital refused to tell me anything—”

“Hey, it’s alright. No need to panic.” Alya pulled Marinette’s hands off her shoulders and pulled the other girl into a hug. “I’m right here and I’m okay.” 

“I’m supposed to be comforting you,” Marinette whined. 

“You can comfort me by giving me your brownie during lunch today?” Alya suggested with a smirk. 

She laughed when Marinette shoved her away playfully. “You know what I mean.”

“I wasn’t kidding about the brownie. The offer still stands!” 

“You’re ridiculous,” Marinette deadpanned. She pointed at Alya accusingly. “We’ll be talking about this later, you hear me?”

They wouldn’t. Something would come up like it always did, and Marinette would forget. It happened every time, which is why Nino was always the one Alya vented to when she felt up to it. There were no hard feelings. Not all the time at least.

“Whatever you say,” Alya said, ignoring the knowing look Nino sent her way. 

The bell rang and the teens headed inside. Someone nudged her shoulder as they walked and Alya was faced with Adrien who smiled. She returned it, nudging him back. No words needed to be spoken between them. The mutual understanding of being happy to see each other was already there. She almost forgot the state the school was in until two kids purposely walked the other direction as they made their way down the hall. Nino and Marinette looked back at Alya in worry but she plastered a fake smile on her face and kept moving. 

The whispers of students became too prevalent to ignore the closer they got to class. Two girls who walked past them side-eyed Alya with caution. “I heard it was her dad who got akumatized. And she just was too!” one of them whispered. “Do you think her whole family is akuma crazy?”

Alya grit her teeth to stop herself from snapping at them. An arm around her shoulder caught her attention and she was surprised to see Adrien glaring over his shoulder at the girls who just passed. She didn’t question him and found herself leaning into his touch, grateful for the distraction. Once they got to class Marinette silently squealed about how lucky she was, dreamily staring at the back of Adrien’s head the entire time she talked. Alya kept her eyes on Adrien too, but for a completely different reason. Chat Noir reasons to be exact. What happened in the hallway? Completely a Chat Noir move. Adrien never got mad at people. Frustrated? Yes, especially with Chloe, but never mad. 

Speaking of Chloe, she was strangely quiet the entire day. Not once did she make a nasty comment towards Alya like she usually did. There were no cautious glances or glares either. She was the only one, besides her friends and surprisingly Juleka, who didn’t treat Alya like some ticking time bomb. It was nice not to hear any insults, but also strange. 

Before their last class, Miss Bustier called both Alya and Adrien to her front desk. She handed them all the assignments they missed the other day. It slipped Alya’s mind the other teen was also absent.

“Today I’m allowing everyone to work on their projects during class time today, so if you two want I can dismiss you early and give you passes to go to the library to get your missed assignments done,” Miss Bustier offered. “I wouldn’t want you getting distracted by all the noise.” 

“Fine by me,” Alya replied. Adrien nodded in agreement. 

Any excuse to get away from all the stares sounded good to her. They said goodbye to Marinette and Nino and walked to the library. They found a table near the corner of the room and sat down. 

“Looks like we can kill two birds with one stone: get our make-up work done and start talking about the project like we planned,” Alya noted. “By the way, why were you absent yesterday?”

“My dad scheduled a photoshoot that I couldn’t miss,” Adrien replied. “He hates it when I miss school but it was urgent.” 

He never failed to impress her at how good he was at lying. They worked silently, occasionally stopping to ask each other for help. She was relieved things between them weren’t as awkward. The memory of her breakdown in front of him as Chat Noir still nagged her, but he wasn’t treating her any differently. Things were semi-normal. It didn’t take them long to finish and got right to work on their project. 

“So we have to pick a prominent figure in our lives, give a background on them, and why we look up to them,” Alya recited as she read over the rubric. “We could do the mayor or something. That’s easy enough.”

“Sounds good,” Adrien said.

Alya narrowed her eyes. She took back what she said about the blonde being good at lying. “Alright, who do you really want to do?”

“I’m okay with the mayor, he repeated. “You’re right, he’s the easiest option.”

“Look, this is a partner project. That means both of us have a say. And, no offense, you’re a terrible liar.” Adrien pouted and crossed his arms. “So let’s try again: what do you think?”

“The mayor—”

“Nope!” Alya denied. “Who do _you_ , Adrien Agreste—” the blonde went cross-eyed looking at the finger Alya aimed close to his face. “—want our project to be on?” 

He sighed in defeat. “Promise me you won’t laugh?”

“I can’t agree to that completely. My laughter has a mind of its own.”

“Alya….”

She put her hands up innocently. “I’m joking! Go ahead, this is a judgment-free zone.”

“Majestia. I know it sounds dorky but she’s an awesome superhero—” 

“Are you kidding me???” she grabbed Adrien’s shoulders and shook him. “Is this a joke??”

“I can’t tell if you agree or you want to punch me in the face,” Adrien replied honestly.

“Majestia is my favorite person of _all time_. I’m gonna kill Nino for not telling me you know who she is,” Alya let him go and pulled out her phone. “I used a picture of her as my lockscreen! I didn’t want to suggest her because I assumed you wouldn’t be interested. See? This is why both partners get a say in a partner project!” 

“Okay, you’re right,” he caved. “I’ll be honest going forward."

Alya stuck out her pinky. “Pinky promise.” Adrien’s eyebrows raised in amusement. “Just trust me.” He linked his pinky with hers. 

“From now until we finish the project, we have to be completely honest with each other. No lying to appease the other person,” Alya said firmly. “You don’t have to pretend to be okay with everything around me.” 

“Neither do you,” he added. “A partnership goes both ways, right?” 

The look on his face was completely Chat Noir. Another silent conversation passed between them, unspoken truths hanging in the air. 

“Right,” she agreed. “No more lies?”

“No more lies.”

Their pinkies remained linked, the familiar ring on Adrien’s finger shining under the fluorescent lights of the library.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you enjoyed the chapter! kudos/comments are greatly appreciated!!!
> 
> twitter: @IR8NHEART


	5. five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I wanted to put out a disclaimer that from here until the end of the story things are going to get a lot more intense and the warning I put for violence in this fic will come into play. For each chapter with any intense scenes I will be putting trigger warnings here in the notes just so everyone is aware! Angst is really going to hit hard now. 
> 
> tw //
> 
> violence, self-harm, intrusive thoughts, mentions of blood

Alya opened her eyes to darkness. 

She stood alone in what looked like the middle of nowhere. She had no memory of how she ended up here, let alone why. Her eyes darted around, trying to find something, someone, just _anything_ — but nothing appeared. There was nothing to find. Only an endless expansion of darkness laid up ahead. Alya cautiously walked forward, her soundless footsteps sinking into the ground as if she were walking on water. 

“Hello?” she called out.

Silence. 

“ _Hello_?” she tried again, more forcefully. 

Somehow, scarily enough, the silence grew. 

The sound of her racing heart pulsing in her ears died down. She grabbed her throat in panic when the sound of her breathing went away, her body trembling in fear. Alya had never been a fan of the quiet. Not even when it came to her writing. Sure, the house being empty and her sisters leaving her alone was ideal. But music had always been essential in getting her creative juices flowing. Her entire _personality_ was loud. Sitting around doing nothing wasn’t in her nature. Being quiet wasn’t in her nature.

So something as important as her voice being taken away was one of the scariest things in the world. 

Tears formed in the corner of her eyes and Alya clawed at her throat desperately, trying to form any sound. A word. A sob. A gulp. _Anything_ . Even the action of her nails scraping harshly against her skin was mute. The possibility of being trapped here crossed her mind and more tears escaped her eyes unconsciously at the thought. She wanted _out_ . There had to be some way to leave this place, wherever the hell this place even _was_ . Let alone if this was a place at all. She didn’t understand why this was happening, why she was _here_ —

Until she looked down.

Lady Wifi stared up at her from the ground as a reflection. The image of her clear as day amongst the darkness of the watery floor. “Oh, Alya. I know you miss me,” she mocked with a feral grin. “You _need_ me. I’m always going to be a part of you. Because without me, you don’t have a voice.” 

“And don’t you want to be seen? To be heard?” Alya’s head snapped up at the familiar voice, her eyes blown wide at the sight of Hawkmoth emerging from the ground. “All of Paris saw you. Your friends, your family, _everyone_. Part of you enjoyed that attention, didn’t you?”

“With me, you had all the power you could dream of. You were _strong_ ,” Lady Wifi edged on. “I am you. The version of yourself you wish you could be. Don’t you see? It doesn’t take much to get back that power.”

Hawkmoth smirked. “Come on Lady Wifi. This—” he gestured to Alya’s reflection on the ground. “—is who you’re meant to be. Who you _want_ to be.” An akuma appeared in the palm of his hand. “Go ahead. Take back your power.” 

Alya shook her head frantically in denial. _You’re wrong_ . She wanted to say. _I don’t need her. She isn’t me._ But no words were uttered. The silence kept her trapped, unspoken words screaming inside her mind. 

“Pity. You can’t even fight for yourself,” Hawkmoth sighed in disappointment. “You’re no good on your own, never have been. All these people depend on you, and yet all you are is one big disappointment. It’s tragic, really.”

“A-Alya?”

Ella and Etta stood behind her. They held onto each other tightly, slightly teary-eyed. “We had a bad dream. Could you sing that song mom used to sing when we were scared?” 

This couldn’t be happening. _This couldn’t be happening._ Alya dropped to her knees and tried to call out to her sisters, silent sobs racking her body when the fear on their faces only grew. 

“Did we do something wrong?” Ella asked shakily. “Why aren't you singing?” 

“Mom always sang for us,” Etta added on, wiping her runny nose on her sleeve. “We want mom! Where is she?” 

_She’s not here. She’s not coming back. Not the mom we used to know_ . Alya sobbed even harder as her own voice screamed in her head, rattling her skull. _I’m all you have. I’m sorry I’m not good enough._ She moved to wrap her arms around them, physical touch being the only option of comfort she could give.

Her arm passed right through them. Their silhouettes were replaced with akumas who swarmed around Alya. They flew up in a circular formation, trapping her in the middle. Their wings made no sound, making it twice as terrifying when they descended downwards and crashed right into the defenseless teen. Alya protected herself as best she could, falling on her back from the force of the attack. 

“Alya?” The swarm disappeared and Marinette stood in the spot her sisters occupied before. “Are you ignoring me? I’m your best friend, remember? I need you.”

“Why won’t you just tell me the truth Alya?” Nino appeared behind her. “Friends don’t lie to each other. I’ve always been honest with you about everything. Why can’t you do the same for me?”

“What do you want from me?” Alya whipped around and met Adrien’s gaze. “Is this all kind of plan just to mess with me? Why are you doing all this in the first place? Huh? Answer me, Alya.”

“Alya _please_ —”

“Alya just listen to me—”

“Alya? Where are you?”

“Why won’t you say anything?”

Marinette. Nino. Adrien. Mylene. Alix. Rose. The rest of her class. Her neighbor across the hall, the one who always asked Alya to watch her dog. Mrs. Johnson next door, the woman who used to babysit her when she was little. They all crowded around Alya, asking questions she couldn’t answer. She reached out desperately towards each of them with a silent apology stuck in her throat. 

_I’m sorry_ . Akumas. _Please understand_ . Akumas. _I’m trying my best_. More akumas. 

Her three closest friends were the last ones standing. Marinette and Nino looked down at her with disgust in their eyes. Adrien….. the betrayed expression on his face was too heartbreaking to look at. 

“You’ll never be me. Never be as _good_ as me.” Her friends moved out of the way to let Nora through. “You’re an embarrassment.”

“We were happier when it was just the three of us.” her parents stood beside Nora. “You broke our family. Nothing has gone right for us ever since you were born. It’s _your_ fault, Alya. It’s always been your fault.” 

Alya had never felt more helpless. They all stood above her as tall as skyscrapers while she stayed on the ground, smaller than an ant. Weak. _Unwanted_. A hand took hold of her face and forced her to look upwards. Lady Wifi met her gaze, her eyes glowing dangerously. Her hand wandered down and wrapped around the teen’s throat, putting an alarming amount of pressure on her windpipe. Alya didn’t have enough strength to try and move away, forced to gasp silently for air. 

“You’re not a rock, Alya Cesaire. You’re a piece of broken glass, shattered beyond repair. No one wants you, no one _needs_ you. You’re disposable.”

The ground underneath Alya opened up and she was pushed down. Her friends and family burst into akumas right before her eyes and Hawkmoth laughed joyously as they formed a cyclone in the darkness above. Alya couldn’t move, couldn't _breathe_ as she fell further into the ground, **_feeling like she was drowning and being suffocated by something else at the same time—_ **

Alya woke up screaming. 

She tore off her covers and all the sheets on her bed, the material too reminiscent of the dark watery floor she was once trapped in. Her pillows were thrown across the room in frustration, landing in the pile of her discarded sheets. Alya pressed herself against the farthest corner of her bed and openly wailed, her hands attached to her throat to feel the vibrations of her screams. Of _sound_ . Her sisters were sleeping in the room right next door and could easily wake up because of all the noise. Seeing their older sister in such a distressed state would not be ideal, but Alya didn’t care. She was on the brink of hysteria. She needed to _scream_. She needed to hear her voice and make sure it wouldn’t disappear. Not again. 

Screaming. Sobbing. Any noise Alya could produce she let it out, not caring how loud she was being. She didn’t stop until her throat felt hoarse and even then she continued to whisper any words that came to mind, fearing her voice would vanish the minute she went silent. When she found the strength she got up and trudged towards Ella and Etta’s room, relieved and surprised they were still asleep. She started to close the door, pausing when Etta whined in her sleep. Alya quietly tiptoed over to her bedside and crouched down, brushing Etta’s hair out of her face both to comfort her and to make sure she wouldn’t disappear under her touch. She did the same to Ella who was fast asleep. They were solid. _Real_.

This wasn’t another nightmare. She could breathe. 

Alya sighed quietly and turned her attention back towards Etta, opening her mouth to sing the same lullaby her mom once did to calm down. 

_We want mom! Where is she?_

Her breath caught in her throat.

Etta yawned and snuggled deeper into the covers, her distress gone without Alya’s help. The teen stood and walked out, making a beeline for the bathroom. She slammed the door shut and locked it, pressing her forehead against the wooden surface with more force than necessary. 

_No one wants you, no one_ **_needs_ ** _you. You’re disposable._

Her dream—no, her _nightmare_ —felt too real. None of her previous nightmares came close in comparison. They consisted of the same patterns. Getting akumatized and attacking Paris as Lady Wifi with Hawkmoth’s voice echoing in her head. An unpleasant experience she tried to avoid at all costs, but not as terrifying as whatever the _hell_ she just went through. Her hand instinctively went up to her throat again and she purposely coughed, wincing at the pain but the sound put her slightly at ease. It quickly went away when her eyes caught something red on her hand as she pulled it away.

Blood. A concerning amount of it.

Alya turned away from the door and looked into the mirror, her hands shaking at the sight of harsh red lines littering her neck. Thin lines of blood trailed down her skin from each cut. She hadn’t realized how much she clawed at her throat, let alone thought she was doing it to herself in real-time. But that wasn’t what she was worried about. 

What really worried her was the ugly purple bruise on the lower part of her throat, right above her windpipe.

Alya had to grab the sink to steady herself, her knees growing weak. Having a nightmare was one thing. Coming out with injuries, both self-inflicted and from someone else? Not even in the _realm_ of normal. Something was seriously wrong. 

“ **_I warned you, didn’t I?_ ** ” Her head snapped back up, freezing at the sight of Lady Wifi replacing her reflection in the mirror. “ **_I’m always going to be a part of you._ **”

The mirror cracked under her fist. Pain followed immediately after. 

Alya could handle things to a certain extent. She had a breaking point and right now? This passed way beyond that. She was scared. More scared than she’s ever been and she didn’t know what to do. It felt like she had been trapped in her own head and even if she was awake, she hadn’t escaped. 

Would she ever? Would this happen again the next time she closed her eyes?

The pain from her hand snapped her out of her thoughts and she mechanically pulled the first aid kit out from under the sink and grabbed the gauze and disinfectant, shakily trying her best to tend to her wounds. She kept her eyes downcast during the entire process, refusing to look into the broken mirror. Her mom was going to throw a fit about it too. Cleaning up the broken shards that fell to the ground would help soften the blow of the inevitable scolding, but Alya couldn’t pull her eyes away from them, nor did she want to get any closer. 

_You’re a piece of broken glass, shattered beyond repair._

She would take the full wrath of her mother’s rage. 

Alya went back into her room only to grab her phone and opted to stay in the kitchen instead. The sight of her own blood on both her sheets and her mattress made her stomach twist. She turned on the light—and all the lights throughout the rest of the apartment for good measure— and leaned against the island countertop, staring at the black screen of her phone. It was 2 AM on a Saturday. Nino was definitely awake, probably playing one of the many video games he tried to get Alya into but failed. Marinette had a consistent sleep schedule and made it a point to be in bed by 11 PM every night, including weekends. At least she used to. She insisted she still honored it which Alya knew was a lie. She was awake, but wouldn’t pick up for the sake of keeping her sleep schedule lie a secret. Alya didn’t know what Marinette needed to do to go as far as to lie about when she sleeps, but that was a conversation for another day. She needed to talk to someone. _Wanted_ to talk. She didn't care what it was about. Getting her mind off of what she had to hear in that dark room was the main goal. Anything that could distract her. 

Alya turned on her phone and scrolled to Nino’s contact information, her finger hovering over the call button. 

_Friends don’t lie to each other. I’ve always been honest with you about everything. Why can’t you do the same for me?_

She couldn’t tell him the full truth. Even if she left out a few details of her nightmare, Nino would pick up on it. He didn’t always push her to be honest, but with her current distressed state he wouldn’t let her off so easily. And Alya didn’t want to lie to him more than she already has. Nino didn’t need more of her baggage. The look of disgust on his face in her nightmare flashed across her mind and Alya tightened the grip she had on her phone. He’s done enough for her as it is. Maybe Alya could take a chance and call Marinette instead.

_I’m your best friend, remember? I need you._

….. But she needed Alya, her rock. Not the emotional mess she was now. Marinette was too wrapped up with whatever she’s been dealing with to be there to support Alya. The promise to talk about her dad’s akumatization went unfulfilled, which Alya predicted would happen. Calling her would only result in the same outcome. An unfulfilled promise. She had looked just as disgusted as Nino in her nightmare. Lying or being pushed aside. Were those her only two options?

Her phone buzzed, reminding her of her third option. The one that made the most sense.

**_adrien_** : _www.newyorktimes.com/it-s-viral/Majestia-saves-75-before-building-collapsed-in-times-square /story-poBs3zDiKo9cKWqcjYdRsJ.html_

 **_adrien:_ ** _she saved 75 people by herself. 75!!!_

 **_adrien_ ** _: the building was over 80 stories high & she carried it like it weighed nothing. all with one hand to _

**_adrien_ ** _: she’s so cool_

Alya hit the call button without thinking. Adrien picked up after one ring.

“Alya? I didn’t think you would be up this late. I figured you would see my texts in the morning,” Adrien said, the warmth in his voice bringing tears to Alya’s eyes. She backed away from the counter and leaned her back against the refrigerator and slid down to the ground. “Is everything okay?”

_What do you want from me? Is this all kind of plan just to mess with me? Why are you doing all this in the first place?_

Alya had been thinking about those words ever since she woke up. She still didn’t have a definite answer to why. Maybe it was because of her stubbornness, or maybe her curiosity. It could be several things. But what Alya did know from the bottom of her heart was that she did want to get to know Adrien. She wanted to be as close with him as she was with Marinette and Nino. And Chat Noir was part of him. She would never really get to know the real him unless she knew about his alter ego too. 

Calling him at 2 AM would be strange under different circumstances. They had just started to move from acquaintances with similar friends to being actual friends. But as Chat, Adrien knew she was awake. He knew about the nightmares. Alya didn’t have to lie. Not completely. 

“I just… wanted to talk about the article. That’s all,” she replied, wiping her tears. 

If Adrien heard the slight waver in her voice he didn’t make note of it. “You know, Victory did something similar last week. I still think she could beat Majestia in a fight.”

“We talked about this yesterday and I already told you that’s impossible,” Alya scolded lightly. 

“She has all those military weapons at her disposal!”

“Which Majestia could blow away without blinking an eye!” 

Not once did Adrien ask why she was up so late. Or mention her ignoring his question asking if she was okay. He didn’t have to. Alya had a strong feeling he knew. Maybe not the full story, but as Chat Noir, he knew enough. She didn’t have to lie as she would with Nino, and Adrien didn’t turn her away or make up an excuse like Marinette would—her best friend had no ill intent when she did but it didn’t make it hurt any less. They talked until sunrise, Alya’s fears forgotten and her tears dried. They talked about everything and nothing all at once. They continued their debate about superheroes—Adrien expressed his dislike for Knightowl and Alya almost hung up—talked about their project and plans for the rest of the weekend. There were moments of silence from both ends when they tried to find something else to talk about, but it wasn’t awkward. Both teens were perfectly content knowing the other was there. Alya ended the call at 9 AM when Adrien fell asleep, his soft snores making her smile slightly. At least one of them got some sleep. 

She got up from the floor and got started on making breakfast for her sisters. Ella and Etta didn’t say anything about the bandages around her neck or on her hand. Either they were too occupied with eating to notice or were too afraid to ask. Mrs. Johnson, on the other hand, pointed out her injuries immediately when she decided to check on them. 

“I heard screaming last night and thought something bad had happened,” she explained. “I tried to call your parents but neither of them picked up—”

“Etta and Ella saw a spider and freaked out. Nothing to worry about,” Alya lied with a strained smile. “Thank you for stopping by but everything’s fine.”

Mrs. Johnson frowned. “Are you sure? The screaming went on for hours.” 

Hours. _Hours?_ Alya concealed her shock at the information. 

“It was a really big spider and it kept running away. Took me a long time to catch it and you know how much my sisters hate bugs. There’s seriously nothing to worry about,” Alya assured in a rush. “Thank you again for checking in! Have a nice day!” 

She closed the door and pressed her ear against it to make sure Mrs. Johnson went back into her apartment. Only then did she allow herself the luxury of freaking out. The fear she felt last night came back at full force and she had to keep her hands on the door to prevent herself from collapsing. This wasn’t good. Not in the _slightest_ . She didn’t think she was asleep for that long. When did she even fall asleep? The last thing she remembered was watching a movie with her sisters. Alya had no recollection of actually going to her room and falling asleep. She was too young to be losing her memory like this. What was _happening_ to her? Was there anything she could do to fight this? Whatever ‘this’ is?

_You’re no good on your own._

She shakily pushed herself away from the door and slapped her face, trying to pull herself together. She just had to get through the day. And when nighttime came, she would figure it out. With that in mind, Alya stepped into her room for the first time after waking up from her nightmare. She grabbed her sheets and threw them in the washer, determined to get rid of any reminders of her horrid night. After putting new sheets on her bed, Alya redressed her bandages in the safety of her room. Her eyes still strayed away from her mirror. She got some homework done and watched after her sisters, watching another movie and making them dinner. Before she knew it the sun had set and her sisters had gone to bed. Alya stood in the doorway of her bedroom hugging herself. Her bed, which was supposed to be a source of comfort, made her nervous. Once her head hit those pillows….

_Come on Lady Wifi._

Alya opened her window and sat on the fire escape instead. 

She leaned back on the wall and looked up at the stars, deciding she would stay out here for the night. Going multiple days without sleep wasn’t healthy and not a permanent solution in the slightest, but it was all she could come up with for now. A soft purr caught Alya’s attention and she smiled at the familiar ball of black fur climbing into her lap. 

“Hey Rena,” she cooed, scratching behind the cat’s ears. “I missed seeing you around.” 

Rena purred happily. Alya met Rena the first day her family moved to Paris. She unofficially labeled herself as Rena’s owner right after figuring out a name for her. Rena was a stray who never stayed in one place for long but spontaneously came back just to see Alya from time to time. Her small paws rested on Alya’s face when she jumped up, her unique orange eyes shining underneath the light of the starry sky. 

“You’re lucky you’re cute,” Alya mumbled when Rena started to climb her, resting on the top of the teen’s head. 

“Replacing me already? I thought I was the only black cat in your life.” 

Alya froze. 

Rena jumped down from her head and ran towards Chat Noir, gazing up at him curiously. She looked back at Alya and meowed before scurrying away. “I think I just got her approval which is a first. Cats don’t like me which is ironic—”

His playful smirk vanished once his eyes landed on the bandages. Alya didn’t know what to say, let alone where to start. She didn’t think Chat Noir would visit her again so soon. It had only been three days since they saw each other at the hospital. She thought her injuries would heal up by the time they saw each other again and it would be easier to open up about what happened. 

Seeing the rage burning in his eyes now is exactly what she wanted to avoid. 

Chat Noir walked towards her and crouched down to her level. He caught the other bandage on her hand and grit his teeth. “Did someone do this to you?”

“No,” she replied quietly, feeling vulnerable under his gaze. “No one hurt me.” 

“Then what happened?” he asked, his tone gentle. 

The walls Alya built crumbled. 

She told him everything—slightly altering the part about Adrien—recalling every detail she could. What she could remember before she fell asleep, the nightmare, the aftermath. Alya had to pause frequently because of how much she was crying and Chat Noir stayed silent, giving her all the time she needed. 

“Were you planning on staying out here all night?” he asked once she finished explaining.

Alya sighed shakily and wiped her tears. “I don’t know what else to do. Staying out here is better than going through that again.” She pulled her knees into her chest and curled in on herself. “You know what the worst part of all this is? Nothing I heard was wrong. They were all right.” Her shoulders shook. “Even Lady Wifi. Who am I kidding? She wasn’t weak. I have no business—”

“Alya. Look at me.”

Chat Noir looked angrier than before. “You’re not weak nor are you disposable or an embarrassment. Not in the _slightest_. You’re a good friend and a good person. Your friends and family are lucky to have you. And no one is perfect. You can’t hold yourself up to that standard. You’re not a rock, Alya. You’re a human being. Give yourself a break. You already care so much for all the people in your life, let them do the same for you.” His eyes wandered back to the bandages. “And you don’t need Lady Wifi to have a voice. You’re strong enough on your own. You always have been.”

“How do you know that for sure? You barely know me,” Alya argued.

“I know enough,” the hero argued, the raw emotion in his words catching Alya off guard. “You deserve the same love you give to everyone else.” 

Her heart jumped at his words.

Alya threw her arms around the hero’s shoulders and hid her face in the crook of his neck. He didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around her. They stayed like that, Chat Noir rubbing her back when she started to cry again. This time for a completely different reason. 

No one had ever told her she deserved to be loved. Not once.

She was aware she had people who did. But there were too many times where she questioned if that love was true. Too many times she put herself down and questioned why people bothered associating with her. The lack of care from her parents and her older sister abandoning her family only further fueled Alya’s insecurities. If her own family didn’t love her, who would? 

Chat Noir, _Adrien_ , debunked that with one simple sentence. Alya hugged him tighter. 

They eventually pulled away from each other but didn’t go far. Alya kept her hands on Chat Noir’s shoulders while his remained on her waist. Neither of them wanted to let go for reasons they couldn’t explain. 

“I think… we should tell Ladybug about this,” Chat Noir suggested hesitantly.

“ _No_ ,” Alya denied. “No way.”

“Your nightmare doesn’t sound normal. You got hurt by someone else. _Something_ else. This could be the work of an akuma for all we know,” the blonde pointed out. “Like it or not, telling Ladybug is the best option.”

“What about all the akumatizations that have been happening recently? Both of you already have your hands full. Ladybug doesn’t have time for me,” Alya mumbled. “I don’t want to be a burden.”

“I’m here, aren’t I? We can make time,” Chat Noir assured. “And stop that. You’re not a burden.” 

She didn’t completely agree with him but didn’t argue any further. “Then what should I do until Ladybug knows?”

Alya didn’t get a response right away. 

He studied her carefully with an emotion in his eyes Alya couldn’t exactly place. After a couple of more seconds of silence he stood, pulling her along with him. He motioned towards her bedroom and Alya took a deep breath before climbing back in, the sight of her bed bringing back the nervous feeling from before. Chat Noir stayed on the fire escape and Alya offered him a hand as a silent invitation to come in. She noticed how small her hand looked in comparison to his when he intertwined their fingers. A small blush appeared on her face when she started focusing on how nice it felt to hold his hand and focused back on her bed. The taller teen noticed her nervousness and nudged her shoulder. 

“There’s nothing to be afraid of,” he murmured, squeezing Alya’s hand reassuringly. 

Alya nodded, squeezing his hand back. She let go and walked towards her bed, the sound of her heart beating rapidly in her chest the only thing she could hear. She sat on the edge, not ready to lay down. Chat Noir grabbed her desk chair, pulling it over next to her and sitting down. Alya’s eyes widened in realization. 

“Are you—”

“—staying here until you fall asleep? Yes,” Chat Noir finished.

“You don’t have to do this,” Alya said, starting to feel guilty for taking up so much of his time.

The blonde leaned back in the chair. “I don’t, but I want to.” 

Alya wanted to protest but stopped when a certain memory came to mind. 

At the hospital when Chat Noir stayed with her all day, she fell asleep. She wasn’t avoiding sleeping as much as she was currently, but she still fell asleep with no issues. No nightmares, no tossing and turning. Just a dreamless peaceful slumber. All because Chat Noir was there.

With that in mind, Alya climbed under the covers. 

“You’re a good person too, you know,” Alya noted with a yawn. “Paris doesn’t deserve you.”

She missed the look of shock on his face when she closed her eyes, falling asleep only after a couple of minutes. When she woke up the next morning, nightmare-free, Chat Noir was still there sitting on the windowsill, the desk chair he moved back in its previous spot. It was the first time Alya got a full night of sleep since the Lady Wifi incident. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt so refreshed. There were a few times during her slumber where it seemed something was trying to enter her mind, making her grow slightly distressed. But a hand landed on her shoulder and whispered reassurances in her ear and whatever it was disappeared. 

Alya felt her face heat up at the realization of how safe Chat Noir made her feel. Being vulnerable as she was last night was a rarity for her. But something about him made Alya want to open up. 

“Same time tomorrow?” he asked.

“Same time tomorrow,” Alya confirmed. “And thank you. Again.”

“Like I’ve said before: anything for a fur-end.” Chat Noir grinned cheekily. 

Alya wasn’t impressed. “Again with the bad cat puns?”

“They’ll grow on you eventually,” Chat Noir declared, making his exit with an exaggerated kiss blown Alya’s way. “See you litter!” 

She rolled her eyes, the amused smile on her face betraying her feigned annoyance. 

Alya knew she was far from being okay. She still avoided her mirrors, the insecurities that were thrown back at her in her nightmare still lingered in the back of her mind, and the dark remained to be terrifying. One night without a nightmare wouldn't make all that go away. 

But when Chat Noir came back later on in the day to watch over her, she knew she would be okay. Eventually. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you enjoyed the chapter! kudos/comments are greatly appreciated!!!
> 
> twitter: @IR8NHEART


	6. six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw //
> 
> panic attacks, intrusive thoughts

“I can’t believe Chat Noir _still_ visits you. I thought I was his favorite civilian,” Nino huffed dramatically. “I feel betrayed.”

“You’re the one who gave him my address. Remember?” Alya reminded with a smirk. “Not my fault I’m better company.”

“Rude! You should be thanking me!” 

She laughed and continued to tease him, laughing harder when Adrien snorted at a comment she made and Nino amped up his dramatics. They were walking to school together, as they have been for the past two weeks. Marinette had been with them everyday as well but texted she would meet them at school this morning. 

The lack of an excuse raised Alya’s suspicions, but she let it slide.

When she opened her door to her friends standing outside the weekend after her nightmare, she felt a mix of emotions. Joy and relief were the most prevalent. Being alone, even in the morning, wasn’t something Alya was a fan of currently. Her friends claimed they thought it would be nice if they started walking to school together, but they were all terrible liars. Especially Nino who wouldn’t meet her eyes. Marinette kept stumbling over her words and Adrien wore a sheepish smile the entire time. She knew they were worried. Marinette and Nino about the incident with her dad, Adrien with everything else. How could she say no? It was a miracle Adrien convinced his father to walk to school with them in the first place (she later found out his bodyguard had been following them on the way to school, by his father’s request, and nearly had a heart attack). So she grabbed her bag and pretended she didn’t know what was really going on.

“Sounds cool to me,” Alya agreed. “If we hurry we can make a pit stop at the coffee shop.” 

And here they were now.

Marinette and Nino almost passed out when they saw the bandages around Alya’s neck and immediately went into interrogation mode. She lied and said Rena scratched her which wasn’t too unbelievable. Her friends knew about the stray cat and the first time Alya tried to pet her she almost lost her hand. Luckily her wounds cleared up after a few days and she avoided any further questions. 

It had also been two weeks since Chat Noir showed up to check up on her and has been coming back to watch over her while she sleeps. Nino hasn’t seen the hero in a while which led to their current conversation. With all the akuma attacks, the time Chat Noir came over varied. Sometimes he was early, and other times he arrived right before Alya decided to try and fall asleep on her own. Ladybug had a lot on her plate and he didn’t want to tell her about their situation until the moment was right. That moment finally came last night.

“I told her,” Chat Noir informed. “With all the akumas attacks it’s been hard to find time to talk, but I was able to catch her before she left tonight.” 

“I’m guessing she doesn’t know what to do either since we’re alone right now?” Alya asked with a defeated sigh. 

Chat Noir nodded in confirmation. “She said she would get some help from someone else and get back to me. Until then I’ll keep coming over, but she doesn’t want this to be permanent. Akuma attacks are getting worse and she needs me completely focused.”

“Someone else? Like who? Another hero?” Alya asked eagerly. “Are there other heroes in Paris we don’t know about?”

“I…. don’t know.”

Alya frowned at the sadness in his voice. “There’s another person Ladybug is going to for help and you have no idea who they are?”

“She said it has to stay a secret. Even I can’t know,” he muttered. 

“But both of you protect this city! Shouldn’t you be up-to-date on who could help you guys if you need it?” Alya asked. It didn’t sound like Ladybug to keep secrets from her partner. Then again, she didn’t know the heroine personally. 

“It’s not that big of a deal. M’lady has always been more of the leader. I’m just her sidekick.”

Up until then, Chat Noir had been the one helping Alya. He seemed to be an unbreakable force. One of the protectors of Paris who only ever exuded confidence and strength. But Alya knew who was under the mask. And even if she didn’t, there isn’t a person in the world who’s completely unbreakable. The defeated expression on Chat Noir’s face reminded her too much of Adrien. It made her heartache. If he was willing to hear her out, why couldn’t Alya do the same for him? 

She leaned over and flicked his forehead. Chat Noir yelped and almost fell off the chair, regaining his balance just in time. His hands flew up to rub the sore spot on his forehead.

“What the hell was that for???” he demanded in a high-pitched tone.

“For being an idiot,” Alya deadpanned. “Call yourself a sidekick again and I’ll flick you twice as hard.” 

“I’m being honest!”

“There’s a difference between honesty and being plain wrong.”

Chat Noir pouted. “You sure you don’t have super-strength or something? That hurt.”

“Don’t change the subject,” Alya said with narrowed eyes. “You’re not a sidekick by any means. Ladybug wouldn’t be Ladybug without her _partner_ in crime and vice versa. She needs you, and I can guarantee she doesn’t see you as her sidekick. You’re equals. Always have and always will be.” 

Alya considered herself to be Ladybug’s biggest fan. She had a whole _blog_ dedicated to her. But Chat Noir had been a favorite hero of hers since his debut. He saved her life twice in the same day. _Twice_. It’s hard to forget something as major as that. She made a mental note to start focusing more on Chat Noir once she got the Ladyblog up and running again. Alya knows what it’s like to be underappreciated. Hearing a simple thank you could go a long way. She didn’t want Chat Noir to feel he didn’t matter. Not if she could help it. 

A bright red blush blossomed on the hero’s face. “Well, um— wow. I mean, thank you. I needed to hear that.”

“It’s the truth,” Alya said with a shrug. “I’ll be happy to flick some sense into you anytime you need it.”

“Please, never again. I think you gave me a bruise. I might have to press charges.”

“Stop being dramatic!”

It felt nice being the reason Chat Noir started smiling and acting like his old self again. Adrien’s happier demeanor didn’t go unnoticed either. Two weeks spent with Chat Noir also meant two weeks spent with him, both with and without the mask. 

Adrien could still be a little awkward at times, but after a few days of hanging out with each other and texting more outside of school, he became more comfortable. He let more of his Chat Noir side out around Alya, keeping up with her snarky remarks and making jokes. In a lot of ways, he reminded her of Marinette. Both of them could be shy and unsure when it came to certain things. They needed a little extra push to go out of their comfort zones. Alya was more than happy to help him break out of his shell. They had gotten yelled at by the librarian more times than she could count because of how loud they got. Adrien was always the one to apologize while Alya hid her laughter behind her hand.

She would be lying if she said didn’t look forward to being with him.

Their extra time had also added to her mental checklist of the similarities between Chat Noir and Adrien:

**Chat Noir & Adrien: Two sides of the same coin**

**Need hugs. A shit ton of them**

Granted this was more of a fact and something she needed to do for him, but it was still relevant. 

“I’m going to have to bump Chat Noir down to the number two spot on my heroes list.” Alya rolled her eyes when Nino pretended to cry. “My heart? Broken! Shattered beyond compare!”

“Chat Noir is—well, was—your favorite superhero?” Adrien asked in surprise.

“Of course! Have you seen the dude? He’s awesome,” Nino gushed, his dramatics forgotten. “Don’t get me wrong, I love Ladybug, but I’ve always been more of a Chat Noir fan.”

The blonde watched his best friend fondly. “That’s cool.”

“He’s pretty cute too,” Nino added as an afterthought, stretching his arms behind his head. 

Adrien choked. His entire face turned a dark shade of red and he stopped walking, taking a moment to process what he heard. Nino rubbed his back, unaware his actions only made Adrien’s flustered state grow worse.

**Chat Noir & Adrien: Two sides of the same coin**

**Need hugs. a shit ton of them**

** His best friend admits to having a crush on CN. his reaction speaks for itself **

Alya hid her amusement for his sake. He calmed down by the time they got to school. It took some time before Adrien could meet Nino’s eyes without blushing though. The blonde hastily changed the subject while Alya searched for the missing member of their group. She spotted Marinette on the stairs leading into the entrance of the building and Alya ran over to greet her.

The smile on her face vanished when she noticed the distressed state her friend was in. 

“Marinette? You okay?” Alya asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. She moved back in alarm when the other teen slapped her hand away. “Woah! It’s just me!”

The other teen panicked and frantically started to apologize. Alya assured her it was okay, more concerned about the dark bags under Marinette’s eyes. 

“Sorry,” Marinette repeated tiredly. “I’ve been on edge since I woke up. I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.”

“Do you wanna talk about it?” Alya asked worriedly. 

That, ironically, was the wrong thing to say. The speed Marinette’s head snapped to look up at her was both impressive and slightly terrifying. Alya never saw the shorter teen as intimidating, but with how she was being observed, it made her want to turn away. 

“We tell each other things, right? You trust me?” Marinette questioned. 

“Why wouldn’t I trust you? We’re best friends, you’re the first person I come to if something is wrong,” Alya confirmed, although the latter of her statement hasn’t been true recently. “Now: do you want to tell me what’s going on?”

Her mouth opened to speak but no words came out. Her head dropped and she sighed in annoyance. Marinette seemed conflicted about answering and Alya couldn’t figure out _why_. Between the two of them, Marinette was more open. She never withheld anything from Alya, no matter how it was. If she was being this hesitant, it couldn’t be good. 

The bell rang and Marinette quickly stood up, her eyes trained on the stairs. “I had a bad dream, that’s all. Nothing to worry about.”

She left before Alya could question her further. Adrien and Nino stood beside her as she watched Marinette’s retreating back. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah. She’s just having an off-day,” Alya lied.

She wasn’t a stranger to Marinette’s weird behavior. But this? How did Alya begin to comfort her? When it came to Marinette she always had an answer for her. She knew the other teen better than anyone. For the first time, Alya didn’t know what to do. Even worse: she didn’t know if she _could_ do anything. 

_No one_ **_needs_ ** _you._

She involuntarily shivered. 

Nino and Adrien were either oblivious to her internal dilemma or giving her space to think, having their own conversation to fill the silence. Marinette didn’t acknowledge Alya’s presence when they entered the classroom, nor did she turn her way when she sat down. 

Nino and Adrien attempted to talk to her but were unsuccessful. _Adrien_ was unsuccessful. Adrien. The same guy Marinette had posters of plastered all over her bedroom. The same guy she spent daydreaming about 24/7. She even had a magazine with him on the cover hidden in her backpack. Marinette only grunted in reply to what he said. She had to be possessed. Or an alien beamed down from outer space and took her place. 

The sound of a shoe tapping against the floor pulled Alya out of her thoughts and she turned, ready to focus back on Marinette once she saw Chloe. The teen took a deep breath and… smiled? Grimaced? Alya couldn’t tell what she was doing. “Cesaire. Your outfit isn’t totally repulsive today.”

“.......Was that supposed to be a compliment?” 

“Obviously!” Chloe snapped. “Did you not hear me???”

“No, I heard you loud and clear,” Alya said innocently. She pulled out her phone “But if you _want_ to repeat it, do you mind speaking up? I’ve been meaning to get a new ringtone.”

The blonde flipped her off and stomped back to her seat angrily. Alya shifted her attention to Adrien and Nino, figuring one of them had something to do with Chloe’s attempt at being nice. Adrien looked just as confused as she did while Nino whistled loudly, hiding his face in his notebook. 

“Seriously dude?” she asked in disbelief.

“For the record, I didn’t know this was going to happen!” Nino whined. “We were working on the project and out of nowhere, she asked how to be nicer to people! Well—technically she threatened me but hey! It’s a start.”

“Then you must be the worst ‘nice’ teacher in existence.”

“Have you _met_ her? I did my best!” 

“I think it’s good she’s trying,” Adrien noted. “That means something, right?”

The hopeful tone in his voice stabbed at Alya’s stubbornness. The first time they talked about Chloe Alya struggled to understand why Marinette wasn’t honest. Sure, her crush on Adrien tended to make her react differently around him, but everyone knew how she felt about Chloe. Now, Alya was beginning to understand. His stupid big green eyes were tugging at her heartstrings. She huffed and leaned back in her seat. “I guess. But until I hear an actual apology I won’t fully believe it.”

Miss Bustier wrote something on the board and clapped her hands to center everyone’s attention, signaling the start of class. Nino sent her a knowing glance before he faced forward. Whenever an opportunity to poke fun at Chloe came up Alya never backed down. She had about ten insults ready to go but with one look from Adrien, she held herself back. To emphasize once again: _stupid green eyes_.

**Chat Noir & Adrien: Two sides of the same coin**

**Need hugs. a shit ton of them**

** His best friend admits to having a crush on CN. his reaction speaks for itself **

** Stupid green eyes. EXTREMELY STUPID **

The rest of the day consisted of Alya trying to get Marinette to speak with occasional assistance from Nino and Adrien. Nothing worked. The only person able to get a reaction out of her was Juleka. The other teen waved passing their table during lunchtime and Marinette waved back. And as worried as she was, Alya couldn’t help but be a little annoyed. There have been days where all Alya wanted to do was yell at anyone who dared to approach her. But she never took it out on Marinette or anyone else. But here they were, the situations revered, and Marinette wouldn’t even _look at her_. What made Juleka the exception? 

_No one wants you._

Alya pushed her tray of food away, her appetite gone. 

She almost pulled her hair out when Miss Bustier told everyone to sit with their partners during their last class of the day and Marinette bolted out of her seat. Alya tried to hide her irritation when she saw Marinette and Juleka talking out of the corner of her eye as if everything was normal.

“Remember your projects are due tomorrow! I’m giving you the entire class period today to finish up,” Miss Bustier announced. “I’m very excited to see your presentations!” 

Adrien slid into Marinette’s empty seat. “We need to find a couple more pictures for the poster but other than that we’re good.”

“I agree.” Alya glared when Marinette laughed at something Juleka said, not paying attention to his words. “We should do that.”

_Oh? So quick to replace me?_ She tensed up as her own words mocked her. 

Marinette rested her head on Juleka’s shoulder. _Don’t worry, you’ll always be my number 1 partner. You’re irreplaceable._

_Wrong. You’re_ **_disposable_ ** _._

A warm hand on hers convinced her to look away. The rotten thoughts in her head disappeared, leaving her mind at peace. Adrien gestured towards the teens in the back, worry etched all over his face. “You sure everything is okay?”

“I don’t wanna dump this on you.” _I already put enough on your plate_ Alya added mentally. She pulled her hand back, awkwardly patting his shoulder in thanks with a small blush. “Can we just focus on getting the project done?” 

“Sure,” Adrien said with a smile, dropping the subject entirely. “There isn’t much for us to focus on though. Any pictures we pick could work.”

Alya gasped in offense. “ _Any picture_? What do you think this is? Amature hour?” 

“Uh—”

“You’re working with the creator _and_ editor of the Ladyblog. Pictures are _essential_ in telling a story. We need to pick wisely.”

“This is a high school project. Not the New York Times,” Adrien reminded with an amused smile. 

“Oh haha, make fun of me all you want but you’ll be thanking me when—”

“ _God_ Alya—can you shut up? I can’t concentrate,” Kim snapped from across the room. 

To everyone’s surprise, Alya stopped talking. 

Other than Chloe, Kim loved picking fights with her. They could throw jabs back and forth for hours if they wanted to. Sometimes Kim could take it too far and Alya had to put him in his place, but she never let him get to her. Her classmates were used to their bickering. Whenever Kim decided to bother her she was quick to snap back. 

They weren’t used to her going quiet, letting Kim of all people get inside her head. Alya never took what he said to heart. This time, that wasn't the case. Instead her eyes were blown wide in horror because of one sentence. 

_Without me, you don’t have a voice._

Her nails dug into her neck. She didn’t recall moving so fast. The voices around her were muffled, her labored breathing the only thing she could hear. She tried to say something, _anything_ , but no words came out. It felt like her nightmare all over again.

_“Why won’t you say anything?”_

She had to leave. She had to get _away_.

Alya stumbled out of her seat and ran out of the room, not certain if anyone called after her. The sound of her breathing was starting to fade away and sent Alya into a further panic, her eyes filling with tears. She hated Kim. She hated her nightmares. She hated Lady Wifi. She hated _Hawkmoth_. 

But most of all? She hated herself. She hated how she could be rendered into hysterics because of _one_ fucking sentence. 

_You’re no good on your own._

Alya somehow found her way to the bathroom and shoved the door harshly, the sound of wood smacking against the ceramic wall echoing across the empty hallway. Alya trudged over to the sink on her shaky legs, holding herself up on the counter. She turned on the sink and tried to focus on the sound of the water running, tears running down her face when nothing came up. Throughout the entire day, fragments of her nightmare came back to haunt her. It had been weeks since she had it and yet she remembered every detail, every _word_ uttered. Alya couldn’t escape from her own mind no matter how hard she tried. A silent sob tore through her throat and she lifted her head, jumping at the sight of Lady Wifi smirking at her in the mirror.

Alya let go of the sink and collapsed, crawling back when multiple versions of Lady Wifi appeared across all the mirrors in the bathroom.

“ **_Oh, Alya. I know you miss me_ **,” they all mocked.

Alya covered her ears and curled into a ball, her entire body trembling. Why her? Why was she the only person who remembered being akumatized? Why did it have to be _her_? Lady Wifi kept talking and Alya wanted to scream, more tears escaping from her eyes out of frustration. 

The sudden sensation of hands covering hers had Alya on the defense and she jumped away, trying to get as far as possible. 

“.....breathe in for 4…… 6….. out for 6…..focus….. voice….. focus on the sound of my voice…”

She stopped moving, Lady Wifi’s voice sounding farther away. Alya followed the unknown voice and breathed, relief flooding over her at the sound of the sink faucet. 

“Alya?”

Juleka. Right, she was in school. She panicked in school, in front of the _entire class_. And now the girl who she’s been side-eyeing all day was the one to come to her rescue. The universe seriously hated her.

She hoped whoever Ladybug went to for advice could help her. Lady Wifi’s words repeated themselves in her head and hugged herself, her eyes avoiding the mirrors.

Alya wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. 

The taller teen crouched down. “You don’t have to say anything if you’re not ready. Just nod—”

“ _No_.” Hearing her voice again helped calm her racing heart. “I can talk.” 

“Good,” Juleka said with a nod. “Talking is good.”

Alya wiped her tears. “You didn’t have to follow me, you know. Why did you?” 

“I know a panic attack when I see one.”

She did _not_ see that response coming. 

“They suck. I’ve had more than enough to know that,” Juleka continued. “But I also know how to get through them. It’s not fun being alone during and after one.” 

If she didn’t feel guilty about being annoyed before, Alya _definitely_ did now. She didn’t know what was going on with Marinette, but Juleka wasn’t to blame. 

She was right. Juleka _is_ cool.

“Thank you,” Alya said quietly. “Sorry if my question came off as rude, I just—”

“You don’t need to explain yourself. I get it,” Juleka assured. She stood and held out a hand. “Ready to get back to class? Everyone is worried.” 

Alya found that hard to believe but was quickly proven wrong when they got back. Her classmates—minus Kim, Adrien, And Chloe who were missing for some reason— smiled when she walked in, relieved to see she was okay. Nino partially flew out of his seat and hugged her with all his strength. Marinette followed but didn’t hug her with as much force. 

“ _Never_ scare me like that again you asshole,” Nino demanded fiercely, pulling back to face Alya with teary eyes. He sniffed and hugged her again. Alya hugged him back, dreading the conversation she knew was coming later. 

_“Why won’t you just tell me the truth Alya? Friends don’t lie to each other.”_

She hugged him tighter. 

Marinette had only hugged her for a few seconds. The guarded look on her face was even more prevalent than before. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

There was so much left unsaid. Alya _knew_. Marinette still held herself back. But this wasn’t the time or place to talk about it. Alya smiled at her instead, though it was strained. 

“Where are Adrien and Chloe by the way? I figured Kim would be gone but why aren’t they here?” she asked, changing the subject. 

“Funny story…” 

Nino led her to the principal’s office. _The principal’s office_ . Hearing Chloe snapped at Kim was shocking enough on its own. Under normal circumstances, Alya wouldn’t blink an eye. Those two fought way more than anyone else in class. But Chloe had done it in _her defense_. And Adrien stood by her, not to break up the fight, but to give Kim a piece of his mind. It escalated to the point where Miss Bustier had to send them to the principal’s office. 

Alya had to ask Nino to repeat himself to make sure she heard him right. 

Miss Bustier dismissed everyone from class early after apologizing to Alya several times on behalf of Kim and letting everyone know project presentations would take place at the end of the week instead. 

The office door opening caught their attention. Kim walked out first, glaring at Alya on his way out. Chloe flipped her ponytail dramatically and passed them without a word. Adrien looked stressed but brightened when he saw Alya.

“Hey—”

She surged forward and pulled him into a hug. The blonde squeaked in surprise and his hands hovered in the air awkwardly, unsure of what to do. 

“I can’t believe you told Kim off and I missed it,” she grumbled. 

“I’m kinda glad you did,” Adrien admitted. “I don’t know what came over me.”

Alya tightened her grip. He really was a bad liar. 

“Thank you,” she said sincerely. 

Adrien moved his hands and returned the hug. Nino coughed loudly and they jumped apart, blushing furiously when they realized how long they stood holding each other. 

“As adorable as that was, we got dismissed early and I wanna grab our stuff and leave asap!” 

Alya stopped Adrien before he could agree. “You go ahead. We’ll meet you outside.”

Suspicion rolled off Nino in waves but he didn’t question them, too eager about going home early. Adrien looked at her curiously when the other teen left. “So—”

“Wanna help me do something crazy?”

**Chat Noir & Adrien: Two sides of the same coin**

**Need hugs. a shit ton of them**

**His best friend admits to having a crush on CN. his reaction speaks for itself**

**Stupid green eyes. EXTREMELY STUPID**

**Mischievous ass mfs**

Alya refused to let Kim get the last laugh. Her solution? Sticky notes.

They stuck a bunch of them in his locker after Alya guessed his locker combination right. They covered the entire interior and the front of it, also stuffing sticky notes in his textbooks. It was a silly prank but Alya would find joy in seeing his reaction to a bunch of colorful small papers all over his locker. 

“Why do you have this many sticky notes?” Adrien asked once they managed to close the locker.

“To pull pranks like this,” Alya replied sarcastically. 

“What the fuck???”

They froze. Huh, guess Kim didn’t go home right away.

Alya grabbed Adrien’s hand and they ran off, narrowly avoiding the crumbled up sticky notes Kim managed to grab and throw at them. They didn’t stop running even when they knew they were in the clear, laughing and goofing off. 

“If I keep agreeing to your ideas I might end up in prison,” Adrien teased.

Alya pondered. “You’re not completely wrong about that to be honest.” 

They had stopped running and started to walk the rest of the way at a normal pace, still holding hands. 

“Is Mr. Damocles going to tell your dad about what happened?” Alya asked, starting to feel guilty.

“This was my first time getting in trouble so he let me off the hook. But if Kim tells him about the sticky notes I might not be as lucky,” Adrien replied with a shrug.

“Wait—you _knew_ you could get in trouble again and you still helped me? Why didn’t you say no???” 

“It was worth it,” Adrien said firmly. “I’d do it again if I had the choice.”

Alya was speechless. She nodded her head silently agreement, shocked from the boldness of his statement. 

“Although you _are_ a bad influence on me. That might be the actual reason,” Adrien added with a teasing smirk.

Alya rolled her eyes, the smile on her face betraying the ‘annoyed’ expression she was trying to hold up. 

“I’m gonna miss this,” Adrien admitted.

“What do you mean?” Alya asked, swinging their joined hands together. 

“Being with you after school every day. The project gave us time to hang out,” he elaborated.

Alya squeezed his hand. “Who said we need a project as an excuse to hang out? I’m only a text away. We have the groupchat with the entire class and another one with just Nino and Marinette. Whenever you wanna hang out or talk, I’m there.”

He squeezed her hand back, the cold metal of his ring strangely comforting. 

**Chat Noir & Adrien: Two sides of the same coin**

**Need hugs. a shit ton of them**

**His best friend admits to having a crush on CN. his reaction speaks for itself**

**Stupid green eyes. EXTREMELY STUPID**

**Mischievous ass mfs**

**The ring. They have the same exact ring**

They stopped holding hands once they walked outside. Nino was waiting for them, but he had his eyes on someone else. Alya followed his gaze and saw Marinette and Juleka with someone else. They were holding a bike by their side, their bright blue hair covered with a helmet. A guitar case with various bright stickers was strapped across their back. Marinette hugged them and Juleka, waving goodbye when they both got on the bike and rode away. The ugly feeling of jealousy stirred in Alya’s stomach but she pushed it down. 

“Who was that?” she asked.

“Luka Couffaine. Juleka’s older brother,” Nino answered in a slightly dreamy tone. “They’re in a band together.”

“Kitty Section right? I heard Rose talking about them once,” Adrien added.

A sly smirk appeared on Alya’s face. “You sure do know a lot about Luka, huh Nino?”

“I’m a fan of the band!” Nino defended, his face slowly turning red. “They make good music!”

“A fan of the band? _Or_ a fan of the guitar player in said band?” 

He sputtered, growing more flustered when Adrien joined in on the teasing. They started to make their way home, Alya frowning when she noticed Marinette disappeared. Maybe she could ask Juleka about Luka. Marinette seemed close with him, as much as it bothered her, so he might know what’s going on. It was worth a shot. And if she happened to mention Nino around Luka, what would be the harm? Alya allowed herself to be pulled back into Nino and Adrien’s conversation, trying to get her mind off her best friend’s strange behavior. 

She noticed the teens stopped talking and went to ask what happened, her jaw dropping when she realized. 

Ladybug stood in front of them with her hands on her hips, the anger burning in her eyes too overpowering to ignore. 

“Alya Cesaire? You need to come with me.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you enjoyed the chapter! kudos/comments are greatly appreciated!!!
> 
> twitter: @IR8NHEART


	7. seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw //
> 
> violence, self-harm, intrusive thoughts, gun violence, blood

If Alya wasn’t convinced the universe hated her before, she sure as hell was now. 

Her life was complicated enough. She couldn’t remember the last time she had a full day without something bad happening to either her or someone she cared about. Alya yawned, reaching for her coffee mug and downing what was left. Granted drinking coffee at 2 AM probably wasn’t the best or healthiest idea, but she made an exception for tonight—she deserved it after the _extremely_ long day she had. She rubbed her eyes to ease the irritation of staring at her bright laptop screen for the past hour. An article on how to treat bullet wounds was open, bloody tissues and gauzes piled high in her trash can. 

To reiterate: _an extremely long day_. 

The lump on her bed groaned and Alya went to grab more bandages, settling back in her seat with a relieved sigh when they just turned over. The blanket moved down slightly to reveal Chat Noir, his soft snores filling the silence of the room. Alya focused on the sound, trying to erase the memory of how labored it was when the hero came crashing into her bedroom earlier. She got up and sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes trained on the rise and fall of Chat Noir’s chest. 

Sometimes Alya selfishly wished her family never moved to Paris. A life without Hawkmoth and his akumas sounded like a paradise. No Hawkmoth meant no nightmares, no Lady Wifi. There wouldn’t be a reason for her to constantly watch her back or keep her emotions in check. Maybe home wouldn’t be a place she dreaded going back to. 

But that would mean a life without Marinette. A life without Nino. A life without _Adrien_. 

She would rather be akumatized a thousand times over than lose her friends. As far as Alya was concerned, they were the only real family she had beside her younger sisters. A life without them was one she didn’t want to live.

Chat Noir shuffled around in his sleep and turned towards Alya, his body curling around her. Almost as if he sensed her distress in his sleep. A small smile formed on her face at the thought, quickly dropping at the realization this was only temporary. She had gotten so used to seeing Chat Noir she forgot what it was like to be alone at night. He didn’t need to protect her anymore. The new weight around her neck served as a painful reminder. 

“Alya Cesaire? You need to come with me.” 

Nino immediately went into fanboy mode. He grabbed Alya’s arm and shook her excitedly—“Ladybug is _here_??? Now??? Wait, what did you do? Please don’t tell me you broke a law or something-”— completely oblivious of how tense the heroine was. Or he noticed and was attempting to lighten the mood. Knowing Nino, the second option would be the right answer, but put a superhero in front of him and all his common sense goes out the window. Alya was the same way. She should probably be freaking out more than Nino, but instead, she felt nervous and a little irritated. 

This was the first time she’s seen Ladybug since the Lady Wifi incident. 

Chat Noir assured her several times Ladybug didn’t hate her, but her lingering doubt never went away. And Alya couldn’t help but be irritated on Chat Noir’s behalf. She knew why the heroine was really here. Her partner should’ve been by her side, and it bugged Alya that he wasn’t. Adrien, for obvious reasons, knew this too. 

He purposely took a step back and tried to make himself unseeable, his knuckles white from how hard he was gripping the strap of his backpack. Despite how frustrated he felt he still smiled at Ladybug when she looked his way, though it was strained. A protective feeling surged through Alya’s chest at the sight. 

“Alya asked to interview me for her blog,” Ladybug explained to Nino. “I don’t have that much time so we should really be on our way.”

Nino smacked Alya’s shoulder lightly. “You got an interview with _Ladybug_ and didn’t tell me???”

“Surprise?” she said weakly.

“So… the Ladyblog is coming back?” 

“Not yet,” Alya replied, her unfinished draft of the Lady Wifi incident crossing her mind. She glared at the heroine for bringing it up. The lie was believable, but even _she_ had to notice the Ladyblog hasn’t been updated for a long time. “This is more of a personal interview.” 

“We really do need to get going,” Ladybug emphasized, cutting their conversation short.

Adrien, who had been silent up until now, grabbed Nino’s wrist and started to tug him away. “C’mon dude, we can talk to Alya about this later.”

“Fine,” Nino agreed with a pout. He pointed at Alya dramatically. “You better tell me everything when you get home!”

Alya rolled her eyes in faux annoyance, giving him a thumbs up. He beamed and waved goodbye to Ladybug who returned it with less enthusiasm. Adrien didn’t look back once. If anything he looked eager to leave. When they were a good enough distance away, the heroine took out her yo-yo and held out her hand for Alya to take. “Alright, if we leave now there should be enough time for you to talk to—”

“Will Chat Noir meet us there?” 

  
  


Ladybug narrowed her eyes. “He won’t be able to make it. Now can we _please_ —”

“I mean, if we’re being realistic for this ‘interview’—” Alya raised her hands to do air quotes, “—then shouldn’t both heroes of Paris be here?” 

“I don’t know if you remember, but this whole trip is for _your safety_. Stop asking irrelevant questions and take this seriously,” Ladybug snapped. She waved her outstretched hand. “Now let’s go.”

“Yeah. My safety which _Chat Noir_ has been handling. He’s been by my side from the beginning and the only reason you know about any of this is because _he_ told you! Sorry for being so confused as to why he’s not here.” 

Alya, out of spite, ignored the offered hand. She was tempted to walk away but knew the heroine would stop her if she tried. This was a dire matter and Alya knew she should be cooperative, but seeing Chat Noir so upset on top of Adrien’s silence made her want to push back. He needed someone in his corner.

Ladybug sighed in annoyance and let her hand drop. She moved closer to the teen and didn’t give a warning before throwing an arm around her waist and launching into the air. Alya yelled in surprise and quickly wrapped her arms around Ladybug’s neck to avoid falling. 

Granted she should’ve seen this coming considering her stubbornness, but Alya still silently fumed for being caught off guard. 

Soaring through the sky with one of her favorite superheroes should’ve felt like a dream come true, but the entire journey was unpleasant. Both of them were angry for their own reasons and didn’t bother to hide it. On top of that, Alya didn’t know what to expect from this person Ladybug knew. Obviously they were trustworthy if the heroine told them such sensitive information, but Alya was on edge. Especially with the knowledge Chat Noir didn’t know this person at all. 

Alya separated herself from Ladybug as soon as they arrived at their destination. An old tea shop stood in front of them surrounded by overgrown bushes and a few trees. A bright red ‘CLOSED’ sign hung on the door. To any other person, it appeared to be a run-down building which Alya figured was the purpose. A person who associated with someone as powerful as Ladybug wouldn’t want to expose themselves. 

“You only told Chat Noir about the nightmares?” Ladybug asked in confirmation, an emotion in her voice Alya couldn’t read.

Alya nodded. Ladybug didn’t ask any further questions. She motioned for the teen to follow her and they entered the shop. Alya looked around expecting to see at least one occupant only to find empty tables. The place was completely deserted. Ladybug walked towards the back and Alya followed, noticing another door that blended in with the wall. 

“If it were my choice, Chat Noir would be here.” Ladybug’s voice was so quiet Alya almost missed what she said. “I don’t like keeping secrets from him, but I don’t have a choice.”

“You always have a choice,” Alya argued.

“That’s a naïve way to think,” Ladybug countered. “It’s not that simple. You’ll see why.” 

With that, she opened the door.

An elderly man sat cross-legged on the floor, looking up when they entered. The room, in contrast to the shop, was more welcoming. A window lined with flowers took up most of the space on the wall closest to the door, the sun shining through the only source of light in the already bright room. A soft tune played from the old record player in the corner, slightly soothing Alya’s nerves. The man smiled and stood up as the teens walked further into the room.

“Alya, this is Mater Fu. Everyone knows him as the guardian,” Ladybug introduced. 

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Miss Cesaire,” he greeted with a warm smile.

Alya eyed him warily. “You know what’s going on with me?”

“Not completely,” Master Fu admitted. “But I have a way to confirm my suspicions.” He walked towards Ladybug and led her over to the door, whispering something that sounded urgent. Alya wandered through the room in the meantime, pausing when she noticed a black octagonal box near the record player. 

“I didn’t expect us to meet so soon. Especially not under such dire circumstances.” Alya jumped at Master Fu’s sudden appearance beside her. She didn’t hear the door close or his footsteps. Alya wasn’t too deep in her thoughts not to notice her surroundings. Her eyes wandered back to the octagonal box, jumping when Master Fu appeared in front of it blocking her view. He had the same warm smile on his face that’s been there since she got here as if everything was normal which it certainly wasn’t.

Who _is_ this guy? 

“You were expecting to meet me regardless?” Alya questioned skeptically. “Can you see into the future or something?”

“Sure, let’s go with that,” Master Fu said with a light chuckle. “I hope you don’t mind but I asked Ladybug to step out. Though I’m sure right now you two aren’t the happiest in each other’s presence.”

“Then I guess you know how I feel about you too?” Alya assumed with a raised eyebrow. 

“We can talk about that later,” Master Fu dismissed. He motioned for her to take off her backpack and they both sat down on the mat he rolled out. “My main concern is figuring out what’s going on inside your head.”

“And how are you planning to do that?” 

“By taking a look inside,” he replied. “You need to fall asleep.”

Alya tensed up. She didn’t completely trust Master Fu. In the short amount of time they’ve spoken she became wary of him. She knew he wouldn’t purposely try to harm her. If that were the case, Ladybug would’ve never brought her here. But she had her guard up and refused to take it down. “Is this the only way?”

Master Fu nodded. Like it or not, he was the professional here. Ladybug came to him for a reason and right now, he was her best chance of getting to the bottom of her nightmare. Alya caved and laid on her back, picturing bright green eyes watching over her as she slowly lost consciousness. 

This time, it wasn’t as dark.

A bright yellow barrier surrounding Alya served as the source of light. She cautiously took a step forward on the watery ground, relieved when it made a sound. The ground rippled from the impact, the sound similar to the splashing of a puddle. The darkness around her wasn’t as suffocating. Alya didn’t know if it was because of the barrier or because she fell asleep in a safer space, but she wasn’t terrified. A loud bang caught her attention and Alya met the eyes of the person who has been terrorizing her thoughts for weeks. Lady Wifi stood on the other side of the barrier, growling in frustration as she kicked it. 

“Finally got some protection?” she asked snarkily.

“No. This barrier is just here for decoration,” Alya replied sarcastically, feeling braver having a physical force between them. “It’s a nice contrast to the gloominess of this place. Don’t you think?”

Lady Wifi slammed her fists against the barrier and snarled, her eyes glowing a dangerous shade of purple. “Don’t get all cocky on me now. You’re just as afraid of me as you were the first time you saw me.”

“That doesn't matter,” Alya snapped. “You’re not real. This is all in my head. Once Master Fu figures out what’s going on I’ll never see you again.”

“Oh please,” Lady Wifi scoffed. “We both know you’re smarter than that, Cesaire. What you experienced was no mere nightmare.” 

Alya crossed her arms to hide how much they were shaking, glaring at Lady Wifi with all the anger she could muster. “You’re wrong.”

What more did Master Fu need to see? Wasn’t this enough? Alya looked up, worrying how much longer she had to stay here.

“The truth will reveal itself when you wake up. This isn’t something you’ll be able to ignore,” Lady Wifi said with a shrug. “Oh? And one more thing?” Alya felt something grab her leg and tug her down into the watery ground. She gasped and tried to push herself up, panicking when the grip tightened and pulled her down further. A black watery figure rose from the ground and Alya froze, her eyes blown wide in fear.

It was _her_. A deformed, monstrous version of herself made of black water. More versions appeared and took ahold of her arms, dragging her down until only her head was above the ground. Alya tried her best to fight back but her efforts were futile. The more she struggled, the further down she went. Tears of frustration formed in her eyes and she yelled out to Master Fu, begging him for help. She soon called out for Chat Noir just as loudly, her throat growing hoarse from how much she screamed. Lady Wifi stood above her with an amused grin, the barrier around them shattered. 

“All barriers have their cracks.”

She pressed her foot against Alya’s face and shoved her the rest of the way down. Her lungs immediately filled with water and Alya choked, pressure in her chest building from the pressure of the water around her and she **_couldn’t breathe_ ** _—_

She woke up to Master Fu yelling her name.

Alya shot up into a sitting position and took the biggest gulp of air. She rubbed her chest to soothe the phantom pain of pressure. Ladybug ran into the room because of all the noise and crouched down beside Alya, rubbing her back and quietly assuring she was okay. The teen leaned into the touch, her previous anger at the heroine temporarily forgotten. Once Alya calmed herself down she faced Master Fu to demand an explanation. Her words died in her throat when he made eye-contact.

His warm smile was gone. He looked more terrified than Alya had been. He shakily stood on his feet, rejecting Ladybug when she reached out to help.

“Please go back outside. I need to speak with Alya alone.” The dark edge to his tone left no room for arguments. The calm composure he previously had was nowhere to be seen as if it never existed in the first place. Ladybug reluctantly left, sending a worried glance over her shoulder as she did. 

“I haven’t seen this for centuries,” Master Fu said as soon as the door closed. His voice trembled greatly. “I never thought something like this could happen again.”

“What are you talking about?” Alya asked nervously. “What did you see?”

He stayed silent. Tension rolled off of him in waves. He walked over to the window and watched the sky, the sunlight dancing across his troubled expression. Alya’s nerves grew worse the longer he stayed silent. Her heartbeat was so loud it practically echoed throughout the entire room. Master Fu eventually turned back around, the haunted look in his eyes too prevalent to ignore.

“Lady Wifi isn’t an illusion. She’s real, and she’s trapped inside your head.”

Alya gaped at him. There was no way. No way in _hell—_

**_I’m always going to be a part of you._ **

“That can’t be right,” Alya denied. That couldn’t be what Lady Wifi meant. It _couldn’t_. “Ladybug got rid of the akuma didn’t she???”

“The physical akuma, yes. The dark magic, no,” Master Fu replied. “When someone is akumatized, they essentially become the worst part of themselves. The dark magic of the akuma bounds itself to an object that person holds and is the source of their power. Once Ladybug finds it and gets rid of it, things go back to the way they were. But in your case, the dark magic of the akuma bound itself to you in a different way. It didn’t stop at the object. It bound itself to your soul.” 

“How is that possible??? Why would it do that??? This doesn’t make any sense!” Alya cried out in frustration. 

“You were conscious the entire time, correct?” Master Fu asked. The teen nodded silently. “Then that’s how it was done. When people are akumatized, they have little to no memory of what happened. Their negative emotions are strong, but not strong enough to become an entirely different person. Your emotions were so strong Lady Wifi had enough power to take control and trap you in your mind. She must’ve transferred the dark magic before Ladybug could destroy the akuma.”

“Can’t Ladybug use her Lucky Charm on me and get rid of Lady Wifi?” Alya asked desperately. 

“It’s not that simple. Lucky Charm objects have a target purpose to defeat the threat Ladybug faces. The threat here is trapped inside you. A lucky charm won’t be able to help.”

Alya couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her nightmare was concerning, she _knew_ that. Her gut told her akuma magic most likely had something to do with it. But Lady Wifi being real and not just an illusion? A completely separate person? Nothing could’ve prepared Alya for this. A familiar sinister laugh cut through the air. Lady Wifi appeared in the mirror above the record player, the reflective surface turning black. The same color as the dark room. A chill went down Alya’s spine.

This was real. This was _real_.

Lady Wifi didn’t say anything. She didn’t need to. With one look Alya knew what she was thinking. Her negative thoughts hit the teen like a tidal wave. 

**_I am you. The version of yourself you wish you could be._ **

Alya looked away. “What happened centuries ago?” 

“They lost control,” Master Fu replied. He moved across the room and took the mirror down, noticing her distress. “Their negative emotions won and the akuma took over. The first Ladybug had no choice and got rid of them permanently. There was no other way.”

“So if we don’t get this under control—”

“—Lady Wifi will take over, leaving you trapped in her head.” Master Fu finished with a grimace. “Ladybug would be forced to make the same decision her ancestor did all those centuries ago, meaning both of you would cease to exist.” 

Alya felt nauseous. 

“Lady Wifi is fueled by negative emotion. Right now, she’s too powerful to be removed. It’s up to you to take the first steps to take her down so she can be stopped,” he continued. “I can’t do anything permanent for you until then.”

“Yeah, sure! I’ll tackle all my insecurities overnight and get rid of her! Great plan!” Alya snapped.

Master Fu picked up the octagonal box Alya spotted earlier and set it down on the floor. “I don’t expect you to overcome this overnight. You just need a little help.” Alya watched in awe as the box opened and several pieces of jewelry appeared. A few spots in the box were empty, and it only took her a few seconds for her to recognize the similar patterns from Ladybug and Chat Noir’s costumes in the empty center of the box. “Take one.”

“Any of these?” Alya asked cautiously. 

“Listen to your gut and choose,” Master Fu advised. “You’ll know when you find the right match.”

Alya studied each piece of jewelry closely. Nothing happened until she passed over the fox necklace, her hand stopping above it automatically. She picked it up, a faint spark going off as soon as her fingers touched the cold metal. Weirdly enough it felt like the necklace belonged around her neck. A bright yellow orb appeared once Alya put it on and she shielded her eyes, her jaw dropping when a tiny fox hovered in front of her face with a wide smile. 

“It’s been so long since I’ve had a new holder!” it squealed excitedly. “My name’s Trixx! What’s yours?”

“A-Alya,” she responded, still trying to process what the _hell_ was going on. This was simultaneously the coolest and weirdest thing Alya had ever experienced. 

“Trixx is the kwami of the fox miraculous, the one you chose. He’ll be the one watching over you from now on,” Master Fu explained. “The reason you didn’t experience any nightmares when Chat Noir stayed with you is because of the magic from his miraculous. It blocked the akuma magic from attacking you while you were sleeping.”

Trixx tilted his head in confusion. “So she isn’t—”

“Your job is to look after Alya, nothing more. Understand?” Master Fu questioned. Trixx deflated but nodded in understanding. He focused his attention back on Alya. “Wear the necklace at night. That’s the time your most vulnerable to Lady Wifi’s tricks. You won’t need it any other time. Make sure you have a secure place to hide it where no one else would think to look. This isn’t a simple piece of jewelry. If it falls into the wrong hands, if it falls into _Hawkmoth’s_ hands, Paris would be in more danger than it is already.”

Alya leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Is that why Hawkmoth was so insistent on getting Ladybug and Chat Noir’s miraculouses? They have their own kwamis too? Does Hawkmoth have a miraculous too? How did he even—”

“Alya.”

She went quiet. 

“I have never given a miraculous away for a purpose like this. What you know can not leave this room. Don’t ask questions and don’t try to look into this. The more you know the more danger you’re putting yourself in. No one can know you have a miraculous. Are we clear?” 

“We’re clear,” Alya confirmed. 

Master Fu closed the box and put it back in its original place. “Remember, the first step in getting rid of Lady Wifi relies on you. You won’t be able to depend on Chat Noir as much—”

Right, Chat Noir didn’t need to be with her now that she had her own miraculous. The realization hurt more than Alya thought it would. Master Fu went on with his rant but Alya’s mind was elsewhere, her previous irritation at both him and Ladybug coming back with a vengeance. 

“Do you care about Chat Noir?” she asked, interrupting Master Fu.

“Of course I do,” he replied. 

“Then start acting like it!” Alya demanded. She stood up and glared at the older man. “You’re _the_ guardian, not Ladybug’s guardian. You have two heroes running around Paris but only bother to check up on one of them? Do you not realize how screwed up that is?”

“You don’t know everything, Miss Cesaire. There are rules that need to be followed.”

Alya scoffed. “Fine, maybe I don’t. But what I do know is that you, an _adult_ , gave two very powerful items to _teenagers_ and put the safety of Paris on their shoulders. You have a responsibility to be there for them. _Both_ of them. What kind of fucked up rules prevent you from doing that?” 

_That_ seemed to get through to him. Master Fu tensed up at her words and avoided meeting her eyes. Alya grabbed her backpack and Trixx flew into the open flap, peeking out from the opening. 

“I seriously appreciate your help, don’t get me wrong. I promise to keep the fox miraculous safe. But I have no respect for someone who can’t own up to their responsibilities,” Alya said. “You chose Chat Noir for a reason, didn’t you? He’s done nothing but exceed your expectations. Start treating him like the hero you know he is.” 

She slammed the door shut on her way out.

Ladybug watched her incredulously. “What the hell was that??? Do I need to refresh your memory on who Master Fu is? The guardian? The same man who’s breaking several rules to help you out? And you still talked to him like—”

“Who’s Chat Noir to you?” Alya asked, disregarding everything the heroine said.

“What?”

“Who’s Chat Noir to you?” Alya repeated. 

Ladybug softened. “He’s my partner. I trust him with my life.”

“Then tell him that.” She walked out of the tea shop with Ladybug right on her heels. “I know you’re always focused on taking down akumas, but start thanking him more. A few seconds of letting your guard down won’t hurt you.” The boldness of her statement rendered Ladybug speechless. “Thank you for bringing me here by the way. It helped in more ways than one.”

“You mean about Chat Noir?” Ladybug guessed. “You’re going to tell him about Master Fu, aren’t you?”

“Are you going to stop me?”

“You know I have to.”

“No, you don’t,” Alya denied. “Guess what? You have a choice. Either let me go and tell Chat Noir or try and stop me. He’s been transparent with me since day one. I’m not going to start lying to him now because of some stupid rules.” 

She walked all the way home. Ladybug didn’t chase after her.

Her mom gave her an unpleasant welcome. An hour-long lecture about her lack of responsibility followed. Alya didn’t have the energy to fight back. She rarely ever did.

Her sisters took the bus to school every morning and took it back home. When she could, Alya made sure to be home on time to be there for them. On the days she couldn't, like when she had to meet up with Adrien afterschool for the project, she left food for the twins in the refrigerator. Her sisters were young but completely capable of taking a plate of food and sticking it in the microwave. They had her cell phone number memorized in case of an emergency and if anything, Mrs. Johnson was right next door. Alya had everything handled. Her mom, as usual, thought otherwise. She was still mad about the broken mirror in the bathroom—Alya lied and said she saw a huge spider on it. Not one of her best excuses, but she had to think of _something—_ and this gave her an excuse to yell some more. For someone who claimed to have such a busy schedule, her mom always made time to scold her. 

Alya escaped to her room the minute her mom got a phone call from work.

Nino was the first person she texted. He grilled her for details on the ‘interview’ and Alya came up with every lie in the book, guilt eating away at every enthusiastic message Nino sent back. She sent a few texts to Adrien, not surprised when she didn’t get a response right away. Ladybug went right back to patrolling as soon as Alya left, which meant Chat Noir probably wasn’t too far behind. She also received a few texts from Juleka checking up on her and inviting her to a party at her place this weekend. The other teen had told the groupchat they had with the rest of the class about it already, but she had sent her message to Alya way earlier. A small smile formed on her face and she responded to accept the invitation. 

Marinette also reached out, apologizing for her weird behavior. Alya brushed it off, relieved her friend was talking to her again. Her suspicions were at an all-time high, but with everything that went down with Ladybug and Master Fu, she was too tired to think about anything else. She was lost in her thoughts the entire time she got her sisters ready for bed. Ella and Etta frequently had to get her attention, growing concerned at Alya’s unusual quiet state. 

She sat at her desk, eyes trained on her Lady Wifi blog piece. It had been four hours since her sisters fell asleep and Alya hadn’t moved from her position. The blinking cursor on the screen seemed more intimidating than it should’ve been. She figured the first step to beating Lady Wifi relied on her finishing her article. Or maybe she had to start somewhere else. Like looking into a mirror without flinching. She didn’t _know_.

Lady Wifi being some scary phantom was one thing. Trying to move past her akumatization knowing it wasn’t likely to happen again anytime soon felt easier. The lingering fear of getting akumatized again was still there, but it wouldn’t be permanent. Knowing Lady Wifi was in her head made Alya hyper-aware of her thoughts. Of _Lady Wifi’s_ thoughts. Master Fu warned her of what could happen if she didn’t fight back, but it was easier said than done. Alya was strong. She had to be for the sake of her sisters and friends. 

But she had never felt more powerless than now. What if she wasn’t strong enough? What if she was doomed to fail?

“ **_At least you can admit it._ **”

Alya wasn’t surprised when Lady Wifi popped up in the mirror next to her bed. “ **_Don’t listen to the old man. He made your situation out to be way worse than it sounds._ **”

“In what way is anything he said good?” Alya snapped. “I would rather die than let you take over my body.”

“ **_That could be arranged_ ** ,” Lady Wifi said with a grin. “ **_But where’s the fun in that_ **?” 

“You’re insane.”

“ **_I’m_ ** **_you_ ** ,” Lady Wifi countered. “ **_This doesn’t have to be a painful process you know. Take off that stupid necklace and let me in. With me, you’ll never be ignored again. All of Paris will hear your voice. Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted_ **?” 

Her hand twitched. It started to shake and slowly move up towards the clasp on the necklace. Alya used her other hand to try and drag it down but her shaking hand continued to move. Fear washed over it and she dug her nails into her wrist, desperate to stop herself.

She wasn’t in control. Lady Wifi giggled like a child in a candy store. “ **_Just a little closer_ **…”

Trixx flew out of her backpack and hovered in front of her protectively. Lady Wifi didn’t have time to react before she vanished. Alya’s hand went limp and fell into her lap. She winced when she saw small crescents lined with blood on her wrist from her hard grip. 

“Sorry I took so long. I had trouble finding a way out of your bag,” he said sheepishly.

Alya kept her focus on her bloody wrist. “I thought the necklace was supposed to be enough.”

“Right now it’s not. That’s why I’m here,” Trixx explained. “Lady Wifi won’t win. You’ll find a way to beat her.”

“Hasn’t she already won?” Alya snapped. “You saw what she did with my hand. She’s been messing with my head ever since I got akumatized. I never stood a chance.”

“Don’t say that! Thinking like that will allow her to win!” Trixx argued. “This isn’t exactly a normal situation for me, but I can tell you right now you’re the strongest holder of the fox miraculous I’ve met. I know you can overcome this.”

“You just met me. How do you know that for sure?”

Trixx smiled. “When you live as long as I have, you know what to look for. You’re stronger than you think.”

She looked back up at the mirror. The image of Lady Wifi flickered, but it wasn’t completely there. Trixx’s encouraging words convinced her to leave her mirrors uncovered tonight. She couldn’t keep hiding. Alya cupped her hands and the kwami took the hint and settled down. 

“Thank you,” she said softly, laughing when Trixx nuzzled her cheek. 

“That’s what I’m here for!” Trixx chirped. “By the way: do you happen to have any fruit? I could really go for some blueberries right now.”

The specific request slightly baffled her. She automatically assumed kwamis didn’t need to eat since they were magical. Questions formed on the tip of her tongue but Alya held herself back. Master Fu was clear on what Trixx had to do and answering her many questions wasn’t one of them. She didn’t want to get him into trouble. Alya set the kwami down on her desk. “I think I have some blueberries left in the fridge. I have to double—”

Something crashing on the fire escape outside her window interrupted her. Trixx was immediately on alert but Alya stopped him once her eyes landed on a familiar pair of cat ears. Chat Noir was leaning heavily against the wall when Alya opened her window. 

“I thought you would be asleep,” he admitted, his words slurred. “I was going to stop by and leave.”

Alya studied him worriedly. “Is everything okay? You’re acting weird—” She froze when she noticed Chat Noir cradling his left side, trying to hide it from her.

Blood. An endless stream of blood.

“What the fuck happened???” she hissed.

“It’s not that big of a deal,” Chat Noir assured, giving her a shaky thumbs up with his free hand. “I’ve dealt with worse.” He pushed off of the wall, swaying heavily on his feet. “Don’t worry about me. Just go back to sleep.”

“No way,” Alya argued. She grabbed his arm and pulled him inside, grunting when he collapsed in her arms. She managed to lay him down on her bed, counting backward from ten in her head in an attempt to calm herself down from how much blood was seeping from his wound. Her hands were covered in the red substance and she tried to pretend not to see it. 

Trixx managed to find the first aid kit and dragged it over, wrapping a bandage around Alya’s injured wrist while she took care of Chat Noir. She had to search up how to treat his injury when he started muttering about a gun— someone shot him. Alya felt like she was going to pass out—and watched several YouTube videos to make sure she knew what she was doing. It took about half an hour for Chat Noir to stop bleeding and he fell asleep in the process. Alya almost passed out but Trixx assured her it was just because of his exhaustion and not the blood loss, pointing out the steady rise and fall of his chest which the teen was now watching like a hawk. 

She managed to change the sheets on her bed and throw the bloody ones in the washer while Chat Noir slept. Washing his blood off of her hands sent Alya into a spiral. She scrubbed her hands raw until she was sure all the blood was gone, watching it swirl down the sink drain. She had to take a moment to catch her breath afterward.

Chat Noir was okay. He would _be_ okay. 

Alya also grabbed some blueberries for Trixx who was happily munching away. The kwami closed her laptop, leaving the moonlight from her window as the only source of brightness in the room. Alya wanted to turn on her lamp, the darkness making her uncomfortable, but she refused to leave Chat Noir’s side. Thankfully Trixx took the hint and did it himself before going back to his blueberries. Alya let out a breath she didn’t even realize she was holding.

Today _really_ wasn’t her day. 

Chat Noir stirred in his sleep and Alya focused her attention back on him. He groaned and slowly sat up, holding his injured side. He did a double-take when he took in his surroundings, not expecting to see the other teen. His eyes widened when she started to cry. 

“You’re an _idiot_ ,” she sobbed. “What the hell were you thinking???”

“I know, I should’ve gone straight home. I’m sorry for scaring you. I really thought you would be asleep—”

“Not that!” Alya snapped. “You’ve been getting those types of injuries and treating them yourself??? I thought Ladybug’s Lucky Charm fixed everything after you battle an akuma? And since when did they start using _guns_?”

“Not all crime has to do with akumas,” Chat Noir replied gravely. “Plenty of normal crime still goes on. The news stopped reporting things like theft when akumatizations started happening, but that doesn’t mean it stopped.”

That was… a really good point. Alya and everyone else in Paris were so focused on Hawkmoth they forgot about the usual crime they went on. 

“So you’ve been dealing with these crimes by yourself?” Alya asked quietly. Chat Noir avoided her gaze, giving her the answer. “What happened tonight?”

“A mugging in an alley,” the hero explained. “I didn’t see the gun until it was too late. The bullet grazed me but it could’ve been a lot worse if I didn’t move out of the way in time. Better me than the poor woman they tried to rob anyway.”

“You need to tell Ladybug.”

Chat Noir shook his head. “No way. She has enough to deal with. I can handle this—”

“And you don’t????” Alya demanded. “Dealing with akumas on top of other crimes is overwhelming, especially since you’re handling it _alone_. You’re doing it again. Undermining your own well-being.”

“How I feel doesn’t matter. My job is to keep people safe,” Chat Noir said firmly. 

“You can’t do that job if you’re not taking care of yourself!” Alya shouted. The sheer volume of her voice practically shook the entire room. Her sisters, hell, her neighbors could hear her, but Alya didn’t care. All she cared about was the injured hero in front of her. “If you won’t tell Ladybug, then tell me at _least_. Whenever you need to just come here. Don’t go running around the city with a serious injury like that!” Her entire body trembled. “Promise you’ll come to me. Please.” 

_I don’t want to lose you._

Alya couldn't bring herself to say the words out loud. Despite that, Chat Noir seemed to get the message loud and clear. 

“I promise,” he assured softly. “I’m sorry.”

Alya fell forward and buried her face in his chest. She pulled him into a gentle hug which he returned. “Don’t apologize for being a hero dumbass. Just be more careful.”

“You’re hurting me with these names.”

“Stop acting like an idiot/dumbass and I’ll stop.”

Chat Noir pouted. “You’re a jerk.”

Trixx burped loudly, startling the teens. The kwami smiled apologetically. “Sorry! I think I ate too fast.”

“You’re a kwami,” Chat Noir said in confusion.

“Last time I checked I am,” Trixx confirmed.

“Master Fu gave me a miraculous,” Alya supplied. 

“Master Fu?”

Alya explained everything. She faltered at some point when Chat Noir held her hands when she got to the parts about Lady Wifi but kept going, the small red blush on her face unnoticeable—much to her relief. 

“You told off Mater Fu? Because of me?” he asked once Alya finished explaining.

She shrugged. “He had it coming.”

“You really didn’t—”

“I did. And I would do it again.”

Chat Noir cleared his throat to distract Alya from his flustered state. “Trixx is right though. Lady Wifi doesn’t stand a chance against you. Master Fu would’ve found another way to fix this if he didn’t believe you had the strength to do part of it by yourself.” He squeezed her hands. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t ask for help. You have Trixx and you have me.”

“But wasn’t the whole point of this to find a solution where you don’t need to keep staying with me?” Alya pointed out reluctantly. “Ladybug needs your full attention.”

“I never planned to stop coming to see you.” Chat Noir kissed the back of Alya’s hands and her face went up in flames. The caring look in his eyes made her heart beat rapidly in her chest. “Ladybug does need me, but so do you. I’m going to be here for you every step of the way. Nothing can stop me from doing that.” 

He let out a noise of protest when Alya shoved his face away. Her blush took over her entire face and she refused to let him see her like this for long. “I get the message! Really appreciate it!”

“What did my face ever do to you???”

“Exist, that’s what!”

“Excuse me??? My face is a _gift_ —”

They bickered lightly for the rest of the night. Alya didn’t recall falling asleep, but she smiled at the warm feeling of Chat Noir’s back pressed against hers. She snuggled into the warmth with a content sigh. Trixx was fast asleep in the empty blueberry bowl on her desk. Alya watched him roll around, making a mental note to get him an actual place to sleep. 

She also made another mental note to apologize to him after what she planned to do.

Alya had to find out more about miraculouses. She didn’t care if that meant she would be in more danger. Seeing Chat Noir in the injured state he was in last night haunted her thoughts. The fact that it was Adrien behind the mask made the entire situation scarier. She wanted to find more ways to help him. Maybe she would even discover a way to use the fox miraculous to beat Lady Wifi once and for all. 

Alya had to try. For both her and Adrien’s sake.

Her phone buzzed and she reached out to grab it from her dresser, shocked when she saw texts from Adrien. She turned around to check that Chat Noir was asleep, which he was, but saw a phone with a familiar case hidden underneath the pillow he was cradling against his chest. Alya rolled her eyes fondly and turned back around.

**Chat Noir & Adrien: Two sides of the same coin**

**Need hugs. a shit ton of them**

**His best friend admits to having a crush on CN. his reaction speaks for itself**

**Stupid green eyes. EXTREMELY STUPID**

**Mischievous ass mfs**

**The ring. They have the same exact ring (and the same phone case)**

**_adrien_ ** _: i’m glad the interview went well!_

 **_adrien_ ** _: ladybug is pretty great isn’t she?_

 **_alya_ ** _: yeah_

 **_alya_ ** _: but so is chat noir :)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you enjoyed the chapter! kudos/comments are greatly appreciated!!!
> 
> twitter: @IR8NHEART


	8. eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw //
> 
> blood, intrusive thoughts

Falling asleep felt more daunting than it should’ve. 

The day left Alya drained. Some sleep would be beneficial, but she couldn’t get herself to relax. School, for once, isn’t what bothered her. Not completely. With the presentations for their projects pushed back, Miss Bustier granted the class more time to work. Alya and Adrien spent the entire period goofing off. Doodling in each other’s notebooks, cracking jokes, playing paper football—Alya accidentally hit Nino in the back of the head mid-game. She failed at hiding her amusement when he turned around to glare at them. Adrien hid his grin behind his hand—they even made funny faces to see who could make the other person laugh more. Adrien claimed victory when he stuffed two pencils up his nose and made the silliest face possible, throwing his hands in the air with a ‘whoop!’ when Alya fell out of her seat from how hard she laughed. 

The scolding from Miss Bustier for disrupting other groups was worth it. 

The rest of the school day was mostly uneventful. Save for her classmates being extra perceptive to her emotions and constantly asking if she needed anything. Alya assured them she was okay with a strained smile. Her panic attack was still fresh in everyone’s heads. There were a lot of things Alya hated; being constantly watched after ranked number one on her list. She could handle herself. She wanted everyone to believe she could. Being treated like she could break at any moment made Alya want to scream. Kim did apologize, but Nino and Adrien had to hold her back when he decided to be smug.

“Sorry about the other day. I didn’t know you were so sensitive. Guess you’re not that tough after all.” 

_You’re a piece of broken glass, shattered beyond repair._

She walked away from Kim without a fight. Nino ended up holding Adrien back instead. 

Later on, she heard Alix tripped him during gym class. Juleka told him straight to his face he could come to the party when he stopped being an asshole after lunch. Chloe snapped at him when he picked a fight, which wasn’t new for them, but her words were sharper and cut deeper. They were the only three besides her friends who treated her the same. Alya was silently grateful. 

(She was still reeling about Chloe defending her. Nino stopped her from pinching herself again to make sure she wasn’t dreaming before she gave herself a bruise.) 

Things with Marinette were semi-normal at least. Though the underlying tension that lingered between them was still there. Neither of them wanted to bring it up, so they didn’t. To everyone else, it seemed like they were back to acting the way they always did. Alya hated the feeling. She didn’t actually have her best friend back. Not yet. A sliver of fear made her think they would never get back to how they used to be. Alya’s suspicions about what Marinette continued to grow as time went on. Her patience could only last so long. One day she _knew_ she would snap unless the other teen approached her first. Or maybe Marinette would. Alya had secrets, and she had a feeling Marinette was starting to catch on. 

But, once again, she pushed her thoughts to the back of her mind. She had to believe things would work themselves out eventually and Marinette would let her in. Until then, she pretended the arm Marinette threw around her shoulders as they walked home didn’t feel like an extra weight dragging her down.

Looking back, her day could’ve been worse. Compared to the events of the past couple of days she would consider today a rolling success. Well, she would’ve.

If her parents didn’t decide to throw another curveball. 

Alya was greeted with her mom and dad sitting at the dinner table with Ella and Etta when she got home. The twins were eagerly stuffing their faces with food her mom made, talking excitedly about their school day. Her parents listened with smiles on their faces, their hands laced together on the table. The entire scene felt incredibly domestic. Alya couldn’t remember the last time they were all together to sit down and eat as a family. A family that wasn’t incomplete. She tensed when her dad leaned over and kissed her mom on the cheek, murmuring something under his breath that made her giggle. It didn’t bring a feeling of comfort as it should’ve. There was still an empty seat at the table, one that would never be filled again. This ‘picture-perfect family’ act wouldn’t last for long. It never did. 

Alya stopped lying to herself that someday it would.

She purposely slammed the door shut to get their attention. She found some satisfaction in how startled her parents became at the sudden noise. 

“Alya!” her dad exclaimed. Alya forced herself not to cringe when he met her gaze. The feral expression aimed towards her from Animan was still fresh in her mind. “Did you have a good day at school?”

“I finished my shift at the hotel early today so I decided to make some dinner,” her mom pulled out the empty seat beside her and pat the cushion encouragingly. “Come sit! I tried this new lasagna recipe one of my coworkers told me about—” 

“What is he doing here?” Alya demanded, her voice dangerously low. The happy atmosphere immediately vanished. Ella and Etta continued to eat silently, pretending to be unaware of the tension. The grip her mom had on her dad’s hand tightened. 

“We decided to try and work things out,” Mrs. Cesaire informed. “My relationship with your father is important and I don’t want to lose it.”

_Yeah. So important that you made_ _me_ _give him divorce papers_ Alya thought bitterly. 

“So we’re going to pretend like he didn’t vanish without a trace? You expect me to be okay with this?” Alya snapped. 

There were so many things she wanted to say. She wanted to know why her mom refused to acknowledge what she was putting them through. The constant back and forth of being home one instant and being gone the next. Why she was okay with her dad coming back after he abandoned Alya in the hospital. Why they didn’t even want to mention Animan or Lady Wifi, pretending they didn’t exist. Why they insisted on trying to fix something between them that broke a long time ago. Why they kept _lying_ about their happiness. 

But Alya saw how hopeful Ella and Etta looked. How ecstatic they were at their parents finally being home. Alya didn’t want to be the one to disappoint them. She would leave that job to her parents. What they broke, she put back together. 

She gave it two weeks before they went back to fighting. More likely a week and a half. Their schedules would get busy, her dad would throw himself into work at the zoo, her mom would complain, and they would be right back to square one. Alya dreaded dealing with the aftermath. 

“We’re _trying_ to have a nice family dinner. Unless you get rid of that attitude, go to your room,” her mom scolded. Her tone left no room for arguments. “Come out when you’re ready to act civil.”

The pleading look in her dad’s eyes went ignored. Alya grabbed a dinner roll from the table and took a huge bite, chewing obnoxiously in the way her mom despised. “Then I guess I’m staying in my room.”

She made sure to slam her bedroom door shut with all the strength she could muster. Her mom yelled angrily and Alya put on her headphones and turned her music up to drown out the sound. 

And now, here she was. Struggling to do something she so desperately needed. 

Alya lost track of how long she’s been staring up at the ceiling. Her eyes occasionally darted to check her window, disappointed when it remained empty, the moon in the sky the only thing visible. She left it open out of habit. The light breeze blowing against her curtains felt like mother nature was mocking her, making the empty space even more prevalent. 

Tonight it would be just her and Trixx. And that should be okay. The kwami was here to help her with her nightmares and Alya trusted him. She didn’t need—

The fire escape rattled and she shot up. Her excitement died down when a small meow was heard and Rena popped up. The cat perched herself on the window sill and curled up into a ball, purring in content. Not the black cat she was hoping to see, no offense to Rena. 

Who was Alya kidding? 

“I’m pathetic,” she muttered, flopping back on her bed and pulling her blanket over her head, facing away from the window. 

“Don’t say that!” Trixx scolded. He followed her and hovered in front of her face. “Chat Noir has been helping you with your nightmares from the beginning. It’s a natural feeling to miss him.”

“I never said I missed him.” Trixx fixed her with a look that screamed ‘you’re not fooling anyone’ and Alya huffed. “Is it that obvious?” 

The kwami motioned towards the open window. “Kinda.”

Alya grit her teeth and threw off her blanket, picking up Rena to move her out of the way before slamming the window shut. The cat hissed at the loud noise and ran under the bed to hide. 

“I can do this on my own. Being dependent on him isn’t a good thing,” Alya said quietly. 

“Are you sure about that?”

The question threw her off. Trixx, when he didn’t get a response, persisted. “We haven't known each other for very long, but from what I’ve seen accepting help from other people isn’t what you’re used to doing. You try and handle things on your own. When you do get help you beat yourself up about it like you’re doing right now.” Alya flinched. The words were said gently but felt like daggers piercing her soul. “There’s a difference between being dependent and leaning on someone for support. Chat Noir is a friend, one who cares about you. It’s okay to lean on him.”

“I don’t want to be a burden.” The teen’s words were so quiet Trixx almost missed them. The only other person who’s heard her utter those words were Chat Noir. He told Alya multiple times she wasn’t a burden, but she never truly believed him. The weight of her insecurities and Lady Wifi’s taunts overwhelmed any positive reassurance. Rena ran out from under the bed and nudged her head against Alya’s leg with a whine, sensing her distress. 

Trixx studied her for a moment, starting to understand why he was chosen. The power of the fox miraculous allowed the holder to use illusions. They could make people see whatever they wanted. Alya did the same thing. No one saw this other side of her and she wanted to keep it that way. Trixx felt even more protective of her at the realization. 

“You could never be a burden,” the kwami assured fiercely. “I’ll say it a thousand times if that what it takes to convince you.” 

“Make it a million,” Alya said with a grimace. She bent down and pulled Rena into her arms, smiling slightly when the cat licked her cheek. 

“A million it is.” 

Trixx caught her off guard again with the quick agreement, but her posture relaxed. The kwami beamed. “Chat Noir may not be here tonight, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t coming back. And when you don’t have him, you have me. You can and _will_ beat Lady Wifi. I know you can.” 

Alya remained hesitant but climbed back into bed feeling a lot better than she did before. Rena made herself comfortable beside the teen. 

“Tonight is the first where you’ll be under my protection alone, so you might see Lady Wifi again,” Trixx warned. “My magic has to get used to holding her back.”

“It’s okay. I’ll be fine.” Alya said those words mostly to make herself feel better. Trixx gave her one last encouraging smile as she finally drifted off to sleep. 

When she opened her eyes, something felt off. 

An orange barrier surrounded Alya this time. The walls were thicker, more secure than Master Fu’s barrier. It extended across the ground, shielding against the watery floor of the dark room. Nothing would be able to break through this time. It helped Alya breathe a little easier, but the bad feeling she harbored didn’t go away. What use did the barrier serve if threats weren’t around? Lady Wifi was nowhere to be seen. Alya, as far as she knew, remained to be the only occupant in the dark room. 

Instead of bringing her relief, she felt stressed. Lady Wifi had to be around. If the akuma magic somehow already faded away, Alya would know. So where the hell was she? 

A loud sob broke through the silence, answering her question.

The entire room glitched. Alya watched as a mixture of green code and colorful pixels flashed across the entire room. The sound of static pierced her ears and only got louder as the room continued to shift. Glitched pixels of all shapes and sizes continued to change rapidly, making Alya’s head spin. The room resembled a broken electronic, one that was beyond repair. Lady Wifi stood in the middle of all the chaos. Her entire body glitched along with the rest of the room, an endless stream of tears flowing down her face. 

Her distressed state didn’t look natural. Alya was so accustomed to the cruel smirk Lady Wifi often wore, seeing her cry felt like some sort of trick. It had to be, right? 

“I never wanted to hurt anyone,” Lady Wifi sobbed, falling to her knees and pressing her head against the pixelated ground. Her entire body trembled and the room started to glitch out at a faster pace. “I just wanted the _truth_. Why does that make me a bad guy?” 

Alya wanted out. She couldn’t bear to witness this anymore. Sympathy clawed at her heart and she hated herself for it. Lady Wifi wasn’t someone she should feel bad for. Not like this. Alya covered her ears to block the static and closed her eyes, trying to force herself to wake up. Maybe Trixx would get the message somehow and help—

“Oh, Alya.”

She froze. Lady Wifi stood in front of the barrier, her face still glitching. One half looked the way it usually did, a cruel smirk to match the murderous gleam in her eyes. The other had the disturbing distressed expression, a stray tear falling down her face. 

“When are you going to realize the biggest enemy you’re facing isn’t me? It’s _you_.”

The ground beneath them disappeared. Alya screamed, her body flying up and hitting the top of the barrier harshly. Her stomach twisted uncomfortably from how fast she was moving, the sensation worsening when the barrier was suddenly jerked to the side. Alya bounced around, hitting all sides until another surface appeared. She struggled to lift herself, her arms and legs shaking from the effort. 

“I could hurt him you know. Adrien.” Alya went rigid. She slowly lifted her head to face Lady Wifi who smirked, no traces of her distressed state left. Suddenly the barrier didn’t make her feel as safe. “If I went after Marinette, Nino, or your family, it would definitely affect you. But _Adrien_?” She laughed, leaning against the barrier. Her purple eyes locked with Alya’s hazel brown. “You know more about him than anyone else. He means a lot to you, more than you know. And when the day comes, I’ll make sure to make his death as slow and painful as possible. You’ll watch the life fade from his eyes without being able to do a damn thing to stop me.” 

You’re bluffing,” Alya argued, her voice wavering. She was still on the ground, her shaking limbs barely supporting her. Lady Wifi giggled, not deterred in the slightest. “You don’t want to hurt anyone. You said it yourself earlier!” 

Lady Wifi scoffed. “I would never.” 

“You felt remorse. You felt bad about this,” Alya insisted. 

“Feel _bad_? I’ve never felt better.”

No. There was a crack in Lady Wifi’s defense. Either she genuinely didn’t remember what happened or she was lying. Alya, too distracted by the threat against Adrien, couldn’t tell. 

“Alya Cesaire: The culprit behind Adrien Agreste’s downfall. Now _that’s_ a headline,” Lady Wifi said with a giggle. “What picture do you think the news would use for the cover? Maybe something like—” she snapped her fingers, sending purple sparks flying, “ _—this_.”

Blood coated Alya’s hands. A pool of it covered the bottom of the barrier. It started to rise and Alya panicked, banging on the walls of the barrier desperately. She felt something brush against her shoulder and whirled around, her eyes meeting a pair of lifeless ones. 

_Adrien’s_ lifeless eyes. 

“Like I said before: all barriers have their cracks.” 

Alya tumbled out of bed and threw up in her trash can as soon as she woke up. She threw off the fox miraculous hazardly and stumbled into the bathroom, turning on the shower and rubbing her skin raw until the feeling of blood surrounding her went away completely. Trixx looked apologetic when Alya finally got the courage to put the necklace back on.

“I underestimated Lady Wifi’s strength. I didn’t realize how powerful—”

“It’s my fault,” Alya interrupted. Frustrated tears formed in her eyes. “I keep letting her get to me. The more I insult myself and let what she says get to me, the more powerful she gets. At this rate—” A sob escaped her throat and Alya hid her face in her hands. Trixx already knew what she was implying without needing to hear the rest of her thought. “I couldn’t even beat her when _she_ cried. I don’t know why that happened or that it was possible! How could someone as cruel as her ever feel remorse?” 

“Akumas feed off of negative energy,” Trixx explained gently. “Lady Wifi never had a violently bad goal. She _did_ want to expose Ladybug and Chat Noir, but she never intended on harming them. But she isn't fueled by your frustrations anymore. It’s all your negative emotions. Your anger, fear, insecurities. She’s become an entirely different monster.” 

“One that wants to hurt everyone I care about.” One that wants to hurt _Adrien_. 

“You’re not going to be able to beat her overnight. This is going to take time,” Trixx said.

“You’re right, I can’t beat her overnight. I’ll just have to find another way.”

Alya didn’t let the kwami protest before she pulled off the fox miraculous again, not intending on putting it back on. She had to force Rena to leave, the cat not completely aware of the situation but smart enough to know something was off. Alya went into the kitchen and made herself a large cup of coffee, opening her laptop when she went back into her room and pulling up the document for her Lady Wifi blog piece. If she couldn’t beat the akuma within her own head, she would do it the best way she knew how: through her writing. 

She started avoiding sleep altogether. Every night she stayed awake staring at the empty document, waiting for something to inspire her. Waiting for the lingering fear to disappear, avoiding the angry purple eyes watching her from any reflective surface around her. She would beat Lady Wifi this way, one where she didn’t have to see the dead body of a friend. 

Alya made it a point to have a thermos of coffee by her side every morning, even if that meant being a couple of minutes late to school. The bags under her eyes became more prevalent as the week went on, but Alya trucked on. She refused to let herself fall asleep. Marinette, though she has been more attentive lately, didn’t notice. Adrien didn’t mention it either, the bags under his eyes rivaling hers. Alya figured his duties as Chat Noir forced him to stay awake longer than he was used to, especially this week. The news reported five akuma attacks occurred in the span of an hour last night. Alya was surprised he could still stand without passing out. Akuma attacks only grew worse and he alongside Ladybug had to constantly reassure the people of Paris they had everything under control. His endeavors of fighting normal crime on top of akumas probably didn’t help his situation either. 

Nino, the only one out of the group getting the proper amount of sleep they all should be getting, didn’t hesitate to scold them. He started sending texts around 8 at night reading ‘go the fuck to sleep before i march over there & kick your ass’ and trying to get them to take power naps between classes. Alya appreciated his efforts, but they weren’t enough to convince her. Adrien seemed to be on the same page. 

While she didn’t see Chat Noir all week, Adrien stayed right by her side. 

Alya did admit she kept close, discretely watching him more often. She memorized the sight of her sparkling green eyes as best as she could, trying to rid her brain of the lifeless ones she saw in her nightmare. 

She refused to let it become a reality.

One morning he looked so out of it Alya offered him some of her coffee to help him stay awake. His nose scrunched up in distaste after his first sip.

“I forgot you love black coffee,” he muttered tiredly, still going for another sip. 

“Seriously? I already have to deal with Nino judging me and now you’re going to join him?” Alya groaned. She reached out to grab her thermos back. “Give it. You don’t deserve my godly coffee.”

Adrien pulled it out of her reach. “You mean your devil coffee? And no.”

Alya’s jaw dropped when the other teen downed the rest of it in one gulp. He innocently placed the thermos back in her hands. Alya punched his shoulder lightly. “Thief!” 

“Ow! You broke my arm!” Adrien said dramatically, clutching her shoulder. Alya rolled her eyes as he started to make a scene. She perked up when he stopped and dug into his backpack, pulling out a chocolate croissant. 

“Truce?” he offered. 

She took the chocolate croissant and stuffed half of it in her mouth out of spite, her eyes going wide when the sweet flavor hit her tongue. She could tell it was homemade. Her mind flashed back to the chocolate croissant Adrien gave her from the café before, realizing he probably got it for himself but decided to give it to her in the end. Her face grew slightly warm at the thought. Alya didn’t think twice before stuffing the rest of her croissant in her mouth, smirking at the shocked expression on Adrien’s face. 

“My croissant,” he whined with a pout.

“That’s what you get for taking my coffee,” Alya said cheekily. 

Nino pinched his nose in agitation. “You guys are absolutely ridiculous.” 

Neither of them disagreed. 

Before she knew it Alya started bringing coffee for Adrien every morning. 

(Did she go out of her way to get a thermos for him from the supermarket? One that had a big cat paw print on the front? It was a mystery! And it was her word against anyone who claimed to see her.) 

In return, he saved a chocolate croissant just for her. They handed the items to each other easily, Alya making sure to bring sugar packers for Adrien and him asking the chef who made his lunch to put extra chocolate in Alya’s croissant. He didn’t miss the opportunity to question her taste in black coffee when she had a gigantic sweet tooth, taking note of how much she loved chocolate. Alya fired back with his need for sweet coffee but only using three sugar packets. While bickering, both failed to notice how easily they picked up on each other’s habits. 

Marinette, in contrast, picked up on it quickly, watching them from afar as a million questions swirled through her head.

The sleep-deprived teens leaned on each other for support throughout the long school days—both figuratively and literally. Alya rested her head on Adrien’s shoulder during lunch and he initially tensed at the contact but slowly relaxed, resting his head on top of hers. He did the same to her in gym class, falling asleep for a solid minute before he jolted awake and apologized for using her as a pillow and Alya spent the rest of class assuring him it was okay. 

Their presentation at the end of the week for their project wasn’t horrible, but it wasn’t great either. Luckily for them, the other groups didn’t do the best job either. Everyone was off, the week dragging on for all of them for a variety of different reasons. The stress concerning the rising akuma attacks was a common factor. Miss Bustier took notes during each presentation, a troubled expression on her face the entire time. For now, Alya didn’t worry about it. More pressing matters clouded her mind. 

When the day for Juleka’s party finally arrived, Alya almost cried tears of joy. While she would take the opportunity to talk to Luka to get a better insight on what was going on with Marinette, this was finally a chance for her to _relax_. Today would just be a chill day with her classmates. 

Nino went early to help set up for the party—translation: he wanted to see Luka as early as he possibly could—and Marinette already had a ride. With who, she didn’t specify. Alya figured one of her parents would drop her off as they usually did. Ella and Etta were at Manon’s house for an all-day playdate and her parents were off working—she overhead them fighting the other day. It was only a matter of time before they went back to hating each other—leaving Alya alone to get ready. She finished brushing her hair and grabbed her bike helmet, pausing when her phone buzzed in her pocket. 

**_adrien_ ** _: hey_

 **_adrien_ ** _: so i know this is completely out of the blue so i understand if u say no_

 **_adrien_ ** _: i also know you’re going to bully me for using proper punctuation while texting but i can’t help it_

 **_adrien_ ** _: but do u think we could go to juleka’s party? together?_

 **_adrien_ ** _: and see? i used u!_

A goofy smile formed on Alya’s face and she rolled her eyes fondly, eagerly typing a response.

**_alya_ ** _: i would never say no_

 **_alya_ ** _: i’m the life of any party. i can see why u would ask me :)_

 **_alya_ ** _: and ur right! I’m bringing bullying back just for you grandpa!_

 **_adrien_ ** _: i take it back_

 **_alya_ ** _: too late! ur stuck with me ;)_

 **_adrien_ ** _: do you have a return receipt?_

 **_alya_ ** _: [selfie.jpeg]_

 **_adrien_ ** _: there’s a middle finger emoji. and yet you still decided to send a picture of you flipping me off?_

 **_alya_ ** _: i go the extra mile <3 u should be grateful _

**_adrien_ ** _: [selfie.jpeg]_

 **_alya_ ** _: calling me extra but sending a pic of ur eye roll… the hypocrisy_

 **_adrien_ ** _: :)_

 **_alya_ ** _: anyway!_

 **_alya_ ** _: how do u wanna do this? is ur driver gonna pick u up & come get me? bc tbh i’m pretty sure he hates me after the whole ‘crashing into his car’ incident _

**_adrien_ ** _: 1.) he doesn't hate u at all_

 **_adrien_ ** _: 2.) i was actually hoping we could avoid that_

 **_alya_ ** _: oh? adrien agreste rebelling?_

 **_alya_ ** _: i’m 100% here for it_

 **_adrien_ ** _: it’s not rebelling! i’m just choosing to pretend i didn’t hear my dad’s strict instructions_

 **_alya_ ** _: adrien_

 **_alya_ ** _: sweetie_

 **_alya_ ** _: that’s rebelling_

 **_adrien_ ** _: i’m pretending it isn’t_

 **_alya_ ** _: ur so dramatic_

 **_adrien_ ** _: >:( _

**_alya_ ** _: where are u now? i’m guessing at school bc ur wearing ur fencing uniform in the pic_

 **_adrien_ ** _: bingo_

 **_alya_ ** _: i’ll be there in 10_

Alya quickly searched the house for another bike helmet Adrien could borrow, settling on the only other one she could find: Ella’s hello kitty helmet. She snuck it in the shopping cart while they were out shopping one day and refused to leave the store until Alya got it for her. The helmet was way too big for Ella and she never ended up using it, which Alya bugged her about to because of how expensive it was. But it would finally serve a purpose. 

She ran out of the apartment and biked towards school, carefully watching her surroundings to avoid causing another accident. Her lack of sleep made her moves slightly uncoordinated, but the four cups of coffee she had when she woke up kept her focused. 

Alya walked towards the gym where the fencing team practiced, doing a double-take when she saw Marinette with Marc and Nathaniel down the hall. They parted ways after exchanging a few words and the other teen froze when she Alya. That’s when it hit both of them.

_Why didn’t she tell me she would be here?_

The distance between them kept growing wider and wider. Even small things like this, they didn’t bother to bring it up anymore. Alya tried to push down how hurt she felt, not wanting to cause problems on the day she was supposed to be relaxing. 

“I thought you would be at the party already,” she remarked when Marinette approached. She couldn’t hold back the slight annoyance in her tone.

The other teen laughed nervously. “Marc and Nathaniel asked to get an opinion on their comic last minute. The art club only had one meeting this week and it was today… so… yeah.”

“Makes sense I guess.” 

“What are you doing here?”

“I’m here for Adrien. He if we could go together,” Alya replied without thinking. Her heart lurched when she comprehended how that sounded. “Not like— I mean to go to the party _as friends_. He wanted a ride.” 

This couldn’t be going worse. Since when was she ever awkward around Marinette of all people? And the more Alya reflected, the more it became clear of how distant they’ve become. When was the last time she teased Marinette about Adrien? Or attempted to try and help her friend confess her feelings? 

“I know what you meant,” Marinette assured. “You two have been getting really close. I’m glad you’re better friends.”

“You two could also be closer you know,” Alya mentioned, trying to fix things. “We could hang out and I can make up an excuse to leave, and you two would be alone. It’s a classic move.”

To her surprise, Marinette didn’t get as flustered as she used to when Alya talked about her schemes. Her face turned slightly red, but she barely reacted at all. “No, it’s fine. You don’t have to keep being my wing woman when it comes to Adrien.”

Alya was convinced she transported to another universe. Since when did Marinette get so…. mellow? Especially when it came to Adrien? Don’t get her wrong, seeing her best friend gain some more confidence and not be as flustered was a good thing. The fact that she did it without Alya noticing or helping is what bothered her. 

Did… did Juleka help her reach this point? 

_No one wants you, no one_ **_needs_ ** _you. You’re disposable._

Alya shook her head wildly. _No_. She pressed her hands against her cheeks harshly, blocking Lady Wifi from her mind. If Juleka was the one to help Marinette, Alya appreciated it. She wasn’t being replaced. There was no reason to be jealous.

... Right?

Her thoughts halted when they reached the gym, Adrien being knocked down the first thing they saw. He landed on his side, his _injured_ side, and cradled it, his opponent pointing their sword at his chest. Alya ran towards them before she could think about it, crouching down to help Adrien sit up as he pulled off his fencing mask.

“Are you okay?” she asked worriedly. The scene, admittedly, looked a little suspicious, considering no one suspected Adrien of being injured. He probably wondered how she caught on so quickly, but Alya didn’t care at the moment. Not when she was the one who tended to his wounds in the first place.

“I’m fine, I think I just overworked myself,” he replied, wincing when Alya helped him stand. She flicked his forehead for good measure once he could stand on his own. “Ow! Hitting an injured person? You’re cruel.”

“Be more careful next time then!” she countered. “I didn’t even flick you that hard!”

“Oh no… the room is spinning… I’m pretty sure you broke my brain.”

Alya almost fell back when Adrien threw himself on her back dramatically. She tried to pull him off, squealing when he stopped acting to tickle her sides. Their laughter filled the gym, cutting short when a throat cleared. Armand D’Argencourt, the supervisor for the fencing club, raised an amused eyebrow when the teens flushed in embarrassment. 

“Good practice today everyone! You’re free to go on with your antics,” he announced, sending a pointed look towards Alya and Adrien who turned a darker shade of red. 

The opponent Adrien fought against—who Alya realized watched them the _entire time_ —pulled of their fencing mask. The first thing Alya noticed was her intense, but simultaneously nervous, gaze.

“Is this the girl you’re always talking about?” they asked bluntly.

Adrien looked ready to throw himself into the nearest garbage bin. “ _Kagami_! You can’t just say stuff like that!”

“It’s an innocent question,” she defended. 

Alya smirked and nudged the blonde’s shoulder. “You talk about me?”

“I talk about all my friends!”

“You mention her the most,” Kagami supplied, either unaware of Adrien’s growing flustered state or doing it purposely to mess with him. “The other dad you kept going on about how pr—”

“Okay!” he exclaimed loudly, clapping his hands together. “Alya, this is Kagami. Kagami, Alya. I’m gonna go change but please refrain from mentioning anything before today. I’ll be back!”

He bolted towards the locker room, Alya giggling when he tripped and almost fell in his hurry. A small smile formed on Kagami’s face. “You really have helped him.”

“Me?” Alya blinked. “I don’t do that much…”

“I’ve never seen him be that expressive before. We’ve been fencing partners for a while now and sometimes he still gets nervous when I shake his hand after a good match. You two just had a tickle fight and he didn’t bat an eye,” she deadpanned. 

She made a good point.

She couldn’t believe they used to be awkward around each other. Before they started to get close, Adrien receiving any type of affection made him put his guard up. When he did it to others, which used to be rare, he didn’t react as much. It took a long time before he stopped blushing whenever Nino threw an arm around his shoulders or pulling away when someone simply tapped his shoulder to get his attention. He still got flustered at times, but he never shied away from Alya. Did she seriously have that much of an impact on him?

“I’m glad he has you. I know he said not to say anything else embarrassing, but I can tell how much he cares and appreciates you,” Kagami added. “If it’s okay with you, I would also like to be friends. Anyone important to Adrien is important to me too.”

Her monotone probably made other people see the teen as intimidating, but Alya could tell she genuinely cared. “I would love to be friends. Anyone who can knock Adrien on his ass automatically has my respect.”

“Hey!” he walked back over with a pout. “You love to bully me don’t you?”

“I take my job as your #1 anti very seriously.”

“Kagami? Hold my bag for a second please?”

“Wait—”

Alya lost the chance to defend herself when Adrien attacked, tickling her sides with more vigor. She eventually broke reached up to ruffle his hair as revenge. Kagami was able to change during the entire exchange, holding Adrien’s bag out for him to take back. “Do you guys always have this much energy?”

“Definitely not. It’s the coffee,” they answered simultaneously. They gasped and pointed at each other. “Jinx! Double jinx!” 

Kagami noticed Marinette standing awkwardly near the gym doors and immediately went to greet her, leaving the teens to their antics. Alya watched her go, her eyes widening when she saw Marinette almost fall flat on her face when Kagami started to talk. Her face was bright red and Alya could tell she was stammering despite how far away they were. The way she reacted almost felt—

_Oh_. So that’s why Marinette started to mellow out around Adrien. 

The blonde followed her gaze. “They’ve been talking for a few weeks. Marinette stops by to see her whenever she can.”

“I had no idea,” Alya replied quietly, starting to feel worse than before.

Adrien noticed the change in her mood and grabbed his wrist gently, pulling her along. “C’mon, we’ll see them at the party.”

“You two know each other?” Alya couldn’t stop herself from asking as she and Adrien passed.

“Kagami is a friend of Luka’s. She visited a couple of times when I went over to work on Miss Bustier’s project with Juleka and we started talking,” Marinette explained softly, avoiding looking Alya in the eye. 

“I offered to give her a ride to their party today,” Kagami added. “See you guys there?”

“Yeah. See you,” Alya replied with a strained smile, letting Adrien lead her out of the building. 

This was supposed to be a happy day. A happy day with friends. Worrying about her friendship with Marinette was _not_ on the agenda. 

Alya sniffed, fighting the tears she could feel starting to form. The snapping of a helmet buckle caught her attention and she lifted her head, met with Adrien wearing Ella’s hello kitty helmet proudly with his hands on his hips. Ironically enough, it suited him.

“How do I look?” he asked, striking another pose.

Alya snorted, her mood instantly lifted. “Like a dork.”

“A dork that’s ready to party,” he corrected. “By the way: you’re 100% this bike ride won’t kill me?”

“I only crashed once!” Alya defended, pulling on her helmet. She sat down on her bike and looked back at him. “I’m perfectly capable of getting you to our destination safely.”

Adrien gave her a wary look but situated himself behind her. He placed his hands on her shoulder, unsure how this was going to work.

“You’re going to fall if you don’t hold on properly.” Alya grabbed his hands and pulled, bringing her arms to wrap around her waist. “See? Isn’t that better?” 

“You’re the expert,” he replied, his voice strained. Alya didn’t need to turn around to know how hard he was blushing. 

She peaked at the car waiting for Adrien, the driver giving them a suspicious look. The teens smiled and waved before Alya took off. The frantic honking of a car horn followed them but slowly faded away as they weaved through traffic.

“Does this technically count as kidnapping?” 

“No, I would consider this a rescue.” 

Alya hesitated before asking her next question. “Not to pry, but why did you decide to go against your dad?”

“He said I couldn’t go to the party. He got mad that I asked in the first place,” Adrien admitted. Alya purposely moved to take the longer route to Juleka’s houseboat, giving the other teen more time to vent. “I tried to reason with him but he refused to listen to anything I had to say. He kept going on about how friends are a waste of time and I need to be more focused on school and myself. He thinks I’m too childish.”

Alya started to plot a full-proof plan to launch Gabriel Agreste into space without giving him the ability to return. His dad reminded him a little too much of her mom. Throwing out expectations but never once considering how overwhelmed they could feel. It sucked. 

“Full offense: your dad sucks,” she said, her grip on the handlebars of her bike tightening. “You’re not in the wrong here Adrien. Going out with friends isn’t a waste of time. And, because your dad definitely is going to ground you after this, knowing him, if you ever need someone to help you sneak out, I’ll be there.” 

She could feel Adrien smiling against her shoulder, his arms pulling her closer as a silent thanks. The rest of the bike ride was peaceful, Alya tempted to suggest skipping the party altogether and just keep riding around. But the desire to help Adrien fight back against his father was the priority. 

The party was in full swing by the time they arrived. Alya smiled at the sight of Luka showing Nino how to play a cord on his guitar, his arms wrapped around the shorter teen. Juleka ran over to greet them after Alya secured her bike in a safe place.

“You guys made it just in time! Kitty Section is about to perform,” she informed. “We’ve been practicing all week for this.”

“I’m sure it’ll be amazing,” Adrien said with a smile. Alya nodded in agreement. 

Juleka smiled back and made her way towards the stage, grabbing Luka by the back of his shirt and pulling him away from Nino. The guitar player made a promise to talk to him after the performance and Nino nodded, still in a daze. 

“I see set-up for the party went well?” Alya commented with a teasing grin. 

“Definitely,” Nino replied dreamily.

Adrien spotted Kagami and Marinette talking to Mylene and waved to get their attention. They joined the group just as Kitty Section started to play. Alya saw why Nino was a fan of their music, and not just because of his crush. She turned her attention away from the performance at one point to help him stand when Luka winked at him. Adrien danced with Kagami and Marinette, singing along to the songs at the top of their lungs. They cheered after the last song was played, giving the band a standing ovation. Nino ranted excitedly when Luka walked off stage, waving his hands in the air and gushing about how well they played. The fondness in Luka’s eyes was enough to convince Alya Nino’s crush wasn’t one-sided.

“Cesaire.”

She turned around, sighing tiredly when Chloe stood behind her. She took it back once she saw Alix beside the blonde, shocked at the unexpected duo. Adrien, Kagami, and Marinette migrated towards the snack table, leaving them alone. 

Alix elbowed her. “ _Chloe_.”

“Alya,” she tried again. “You…. look nice. Your hair doesn’t look like a bird’s nest for once.”

“Is you attempting to compliment me going to be a daily thing? I need to know for the sake of my sanity.”

“Look! I’m trying to be a good person. You know… try not to make everyone hate me?” Chloe said angrily. 

“Then you can start by saying sorry,” Alya suggested. 

“What?”

She shrugged. “Until you can say the words ‘I’m sorry’ without cringing, you won’t be able to fully change.”

“What happened to actions speak louder than words?” Chloe demanded.

“While that may be true, a few words might work in your favor.” 

“I told you,” Alix muttered under her breath.

Chloe held her hands out, recreating the action of strangling Alya in the air before she stomped away. Alya turned focused her attention on Alix, still puzzled by her unexpected presence beside _Chloe_ of all people. “Did Nino employ you as another nice tutor for her?” 

“Actually, no. She did.” The blonde continued to surprise Alya. She was making an effort to reach out to people for help. Her progress did show, but Chloe had a _long_ way to go. 

“According to her I’m the only person in class she ‘respects’ other than Sabrina,” Alix explained. “I almost turned her down but then things got kinda deep and I’m not completely soulless so. Here we are.” 

“Kudos to you for not killing her. Or letting her kill you,” Alya teased lightly.

They heard a crash and identified the source immediately, Chloe’s scream recognizable to everyone. Sabrina accidentally dropped her glass of punch and it broke, the liquid splashing all over Chloe’s shoes. She tried to clean it up as Chloe yelled at her, poking her head harshly. 

“Trust me, I’m looking into the best places to hide a body,” Alix huffed. “I’m gonna go help before Sabrina starts crying.”

Alya held back a laugh when Alix smacked Chloe upside the head lightly, pulling her down to help Sabrina clean up the punch. She moved to meet back with her friends, pausing when she saw the class surrounding the snack table, Adrien and Marinette in the center. There was no sign of nerves while she stood next to the blonde, easily laughing along with him and talking like a normal pair of friends. 

The entire class gravitated towards them, like moths to a flame. Marinette may be shy by nature, but her bond with the class has always been strong. Adrien, while he did have to deal with the gum incident his first day of school, was a people magnet. He was the walking embodiment of sunshine, his kindness and big heart making it hard not to love him.

They were the perfect pair.

Alya had to look away. 

Jealousy wasn’t an emotion she felt a lot in the past. But here she was, wishing _she_ had an impact like Marinette and Adrien did. Something that made her stand out, something that made her memorable.

Something that made her be seen. Both by her class and her family. 

Walking in on her parents having dinner with her sisters hurt more than she wanted to admit. Alya felt like an intruder, the picture-perfect family ruined the minute she opened her mouth. They were happier when she was gone. Now, her classmates were having a great time, and they didn’t need her around to make that happen. No one would even talk to her if it wasn’t for Marinette. Alya didn’t know how things could’ve gone if she didn’t befriend the other teen on the first day of school.

It probably would've had the same turnout as it did at her old school. Alya would be present, but no one would see her. Not unless she made them.

_Don’t you want to be seen? To be heard?_

_All of Paris saw you. Your friends, your family, everyone. Part of you enjoyed that attention, didn’t you?_

_You’re no good on your own._

Alya’s fists clenched at her sides. 

“I don’t think I ever expected to meet someone who overthinks more than I do.”

She jumped, relaxing slightly when she saw it was Luka. “How long have you been standing there?”

“You should give yourself a break,” Luka completely ignored her question, sitting down on the floor and crossing his legs. He rested the acoustic guitar that was strapped to his back on his lap.

“That’s why I’m here. To party and relax,” Alya said, eyeing him warily. 

“Then why are you standing in the corner talking to me while all your friends are over there?”

She didn’t respond.

“Marinette told me a lot about you,” he continued. “Don’t stress too much about her silence. Trust me, she’ll come to you. What she told me isn’t stuff you don’t already know.”

Alya barely said anything and he’s already been able to pinpoint exactly what she’s thinking and feeling. Reading people was her thing. Meeting someone else who could do it just as well felt weird. But also kind of relieving, not that she would admit it out loud. Alya could see why Marinette would find some comfort in Luka. He was a good listener. 

“There’s something else you’re not telling me,” she noted. 

Luka started to play a few notes on his guitar. “Mostly just a hunch. Nothing major.” 

His tone said otherwise, but Alya let it slide. 

“Your friends care about you. The last thing they would want is you moping alone. You always encourage other people to open up and listen to their problems. Let them do the same for you.”

“I—”

“No one can force you to accept help. You can easily ignore me and continue to isolate yourself, it’s your choice,” Luka said casually. “But that’s the whole point, isn’t it? It’s _your_ choice. Don’t be your own enemy, Alya.”

_When are you going to realize the biggest enemy you’re facing isn’t me. It’s_ **_you._ **

For once, Alya agreed with Lady Wifi.

This whole week, all she’s been doing is running away. Letting herself function on no sleep wasn’t a good plan. It only gave Lady Wifi leeway to manipulate her further. There was no denying Alya was scared. She’s admitted it to herself several times. Her real problem was her reluctance to accept help and avoiding facing Lady Wifi. If she couldn’t find the courage to stand up to the akuma, Alya stood no chance of beating her. She _was_ strong on her own, Lady Wifi got that wrong. But she needed some back-up. Whether that came from Chat Noir or Trixx.

Trixx… Alya owed him a _huge_ apology. 

She was done running away. It was time to face Lady Wifi head-on. 

“You should take your own advice,” Alya commenced with a yawn, surprising the older teen. “Here you are helping me when you could be talking to your crush.”

The two were the same in that aspect. She could tell Luka put other people before himself, the same way she tended to. 

Luka sputtered. “ _What_? I don’t—”

“Don’t worry, you have my approval,” she waved tiredly. She put on the most threatening glare she could muster in her sleepy state. “But trust me: you hurt Nino, I hurt you.”

“Have you seen him? I’ll make sure _I’m_ the heartbroken one if it ever comes to that.”

She nodded in approval, giving him a sleepy thumbs up.

Her lack of sleep was starting to hit her at full force and Alya struggled to keep her eyes open, leaning heavily against the wall for support. Luka frowned and stood up to support her when he noticed the dark bags under her eyes. 

“When was the last time you slept?” he asked in concern.

“A week ago,” Nino answered for her, dragging an equally sleepy Adrien along. Kagami, Marinette, and Juleka followed closely behind. “He almost passed out in the punch bowl.”

“Okay, you two need sleep pronto,” Juleka declared. “Follow me.” She led them into the bottom half of the houseboat. Marinette and Kagami watched them leave worriedly. 

“How did I not notice?” Marinette asked quietly.

Kagami frowned and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Don’t blame yourself. They’ll be okay.”

Marinette knew that. But the fact that she could’ve prevented this gnawed at her.

“Are you sure this is okay?” Alya asked.

Luka and Nino maneuvered the couch into a sofa bed in the living room, covering it with all the fluffy blankets and pillows they could find. 

“It’s not a big deal. I’m more concerned about you guys taking care of yourselves,” Juleka assured. “Promise me you’ll get some sleep?”

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” Adrien muttered, falling face-first onto the sofa bed. They all laughed at the sight. Alya followed his suit, wrapping herself into a blanket burrito. The other teens walked out of the room, Nino quickly snapping a photo of Alya’s blanket cocoon for future blackmail purposes. Luka scolded him lightly.

“Kinda lame we’re taking a nap at a party huh?” Alya said.

“Nothing can be lame when you’re around,” Adrien argued. “I was wondering where you were.” 

Her face grew warm. She didn't understand why such simple words affected her so much, but coming from Adrien, they meant the world. “I’m right here.” 

“Yeah. You are,” Adrien agreed quietly.

They slowly drifted off to sleep, gravitating towards each other as they did. When the party ended and Nino came back to wake them up, Alya was tucked underneath Adrien’s chin, her face buried in his chest and his arms wrapped around her. If anyone looked closely enough, they would see the glow of Adrien’s ring, protecting Alya as she slept. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you enjoyed the chapter! kudos/comments are greatly appreciated!!!
> 
> twitter: @IR8NHEART


	9. nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw //
> 
> violence, intrusive thoughts

Alya meant what she said. Once she set a goal, she refused to back down: running away from Lady Wifi was doing more harm than good. She made a promise not only to beat Lady Wifi for her sake but for Adrien’s sake too. Whatever she knew, the akuma knew too. His secret identity was at stake and Alya couldn't allow herself to put him or any other of her loved ones in more danger. She had to do this. 

After a very tearful reunion with Trixx—Alya lost track of how many times she said sorry—she told the kwami her plan. As she expected, he wasn’t too fond of it.

“Are you sure?” Trixx asked hesitantly. “I know what to expect from Lady Wifi now. You can go back to having dreamless nights like you did with Chat Noir. You won’t have to see her.”

Alya shook her head. “I have to beat her at her own game. The only way to do that is if I’m on her domain.” The worried expression on Trixx’s face didn’t change and Alya smiled gently. “You said you can handle her magic now, right? If things get too dangerous you can pull me out. It’ll be fine.” 

The kwami caved. 

Alya tended to overthink things. Overthinking is what got her into the situation in the first place. Her thoughts went wild trying to connect the dots between Ladybug and Chloe, never once allowing herself to stop and think rationally. The desire to get to the truth clouded her judgment. Now, her fear of Lady Wifi was. She’s been so focused on trying to avoid the akuma she never bothered to try and learn anything about her. Reading people is a skill Alya prided herself on. She needed to use it on Lady Wifi if she wanted to find a way to beat her. 

Saying it made it seem a lot easier than it was. 

She gave Trixx one last reassuring smile before settling into bed, closing her eyes with a nervous sigh. Lady Wifi’s laugh is the first thing Alya heard when she reappeared in the dark room, the orange barrier around her stronger than it was the previous night. The change didn’t show physically, but Alya could feel the extra buzz of power around her acting as a shield. 

“This little plan of yours won’t work. The only thing you’re doing is helping me,” Lady Wifi mocked. 

“Yeah, I am.” Alya shrugged. The akuma narrowed her eyes and Alya cleared her throat awkwardly, pushing down her nerves. “There’s no point in lying. You know everything about me already.”

Lady Wifi grinned. “At least you’re finally coming to terms with the truth.”

Here goes nothing. Alya gave herself a quiet pep talk before responding. 

“What about you? Have you come to terms with the truth?” 

Alya kept her gaze locked with Lady Wifi’s, refusing to back down. The akuma scoffed. “What kind of stupid question is that? The truth is simple: I’m in charge here. Nothing you do will change that.”

“You’re not in charge. You never were,” Alya countered. “Hawkmoth was.”

Lady Wifi flinched. Alya smirked slightly. 

Bingo.

“It’s his magic that created you in the first place,” she added. “All your power comes from him.”

“Do you see him anywhere? It’s just you and me,” Lady Wifi snapped. 

Alya watched the akuma tense up, a glint of fear vanishing as quickly as it appeared in her eyes. “You’re right, he isn’t here. But he was in the first nightmare I had. You may be real, but none of the people I saw in my head were. They were illusions of _your_ making. Sure, the illusion Hawkmoth was probably a tactic to scare me further, but that wasn’t all it was.”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” Lady Wifi hissed.

“Even now, you still feel his influence,” Alya continued. She walked towards the edge of the barrier, standing right in front of Lady Wifi. “You said your goal is to take me down, but that’s not the end of it. Ladybug is your main target. That never changed. As soon as you get your hands on her, Hawkmoth is the first person you’re going to go to give him her miraculous. You don’t want to take over the world. You’re doing this all for him, aren’t you?” 

Lady Wifi slammed her fists against the barrier, purple sparks igniting from her body. “Shut _up_.”

“You were right,” Alya pressed on, her voice wavering. Pure fear coursed through her veins staring at the murderous expression Lady Wifi wore on her face but she refused to stop. “You _are_ me. A mix of who I wish I could be and everything I can’t stand about myself. A part of me I can’t ignore. Which means I know you just as well as you know me. Whether you remember it or not, you showed remorse. You’re _terrified_ of what you can do. Of what Hawkmoth can make you do. You’re just as powerless as me.”

The entire room started to glitch. It happened at a more rapid pace than last time, the entire room shaking from the force of the sudden changes. Lady Wifi roared, the purple sparks around her growing and striking the barrier. Alya watched in horror as her grip began to melt through the surface, angry cracks scattering throughout the barrier from the pressure. Her face glitched frantically, switching between her rage and the distressed expression Alya saw before. 

“ **_I’m going to kill every single fucking person you love_ ** ,” Lady Wifi threatened, her voice coming out distorted. “ **_They’ll remember you as a monster in their final moments. I’ll make_ ** **_sure_ ** **_of it._ **”

Alya took a shaky breath. “And then you’ll go report to Hawkmoth, seeking his approval like a good little akuma.”

The barrier shattered. Alya raised her arms to protect herself as Lady Wifi lunged towards her.

She woke up right before the akuma could attack.

Alya shot up in bed, her heart pounding loudly in her ears. Trixx was talking a mile-a-minute and she barely registered what the kwami was saying, reeling from what just happened. 

“Holy shit,” she muttered under her breath. “I did it.”

“You nearly got hurt! Provoking Lady Wifi wasn’t part of the plan. Bringing up _Hawkmoth_ wasn’t part of the plan!” Trixx scolded, waving his tiny arms around. 

“If I told you everything I wanted to say you would’ve never agreed,” Alya replied. “She’s provoked me plenty of times! Consider this payback.”

“Alya. I’m serious. I’ve never felt that level of akuma magic before. Lady Wifi _broke my barrier_. At her normal level of power, she could make a small dent if she really tried, but never this much damage! I barely had time to recover and get you out of there. Whatever injury you get in your dream happens in real life. You seriously could’ve gotten hurt.”

Alya became aware of the kwami’s exhausted state. Trixx could barely keep himself up in the air. Guilt pooled in her stomach. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think she would have that big of a reaction.”

Trixx dropped his head with a sigh. “You’re just as impulsive as the last fox miraculous holder.” 

In all honesty, half of what Alya said was pure speculation. She had her suspicions regarding Lady Wifi’s ties to Hawkmoth, or if any ties remained, but didn’t have any concrete proof. Judging from what she just saw, her suspicions were right. Ultimately Lady Wifi would go back to Hawkmoth. It was possible Hawkmoth could be aware Lady Wifi never went away. Alya said it herself: it’s _his_ magic. A chill went up her spine at the thought of him watching her, waiting for the right moment to akumatize her again. There could be a chance that he didn’t know or care, but Alya needed to take all the precautions she possibly could.

She shakily stood up, waving away Trixx’s protests. 

“The least I can do is get you something to eat after saving me. You need to get your energy back up,” she said with a small smile. 

The logical part of her knew the smart thing would be to keep her distance from everyone else, especially Adrien. While Ladybug was her main target, Lady Wifi would go after him first with the knowledge of his second identity. As for the rest of her friends and family, they were always in danger around her. Until she could get the akuma under control Alya should keep to herself to keep them safe. 

“Madame Ladyblogger?”

She never thought she would miss a cheesy nickname so much.

A warm feeling surrounded her at the sound of the familiar voice. Chat Noir stood outside her window, the same window that’s been vacant for days, concern written all over his face. Alya could feel tears forming in her eyes as several emotions hit her all at once. 

Relief being the main one. 

The selfish part of her knew she couldn’t push anyone away. She didn’t _want_ to. 

“I did it,” Alya repeated quietly.

Her legs gave out. Chat Noir crossed the room in a flash, catching her and lowering her to the ground gently. 

“Didn’t we already go over the whole swooning damsel thing?” he teased lightly. “I’m starting to think you’re doing this as an excuse for me to hold you.”

Alya laughed wetly. “Wow, you caught me. Never thought you would catch on.”

“Don’t underestimate my cat senses.” Chat Noir stood up, holding her in a bridal carry. He set her back down on her bed, sitting next to her. Trixx rested on one of the pillows and tried to get some sleep, allowing the teens to talk privately. 

“Did your cat senses tell you to come here?” Alya asked. 

“They have been for the past couple of days,” he admitted. “I’ve been meaning to come check-up on you but between akuma attacks and regular crime, I barely had time to focus on anything else.”

Alya smirked, leaning towards him. “Is that your way of telling me I’m always on your mind?” Chat Noir sputtered, a tinge of pink tinting his cheeks. Alya giggled. “You don’t have to explain yourself by the way. I know you have your hands full.” It was her turn to blush, folding her hands on her lap nervously. “Besides, you’re here now. That’s what matters.” 

Chat Noir placed a hand on top of her crossed ones and squeezed them gently. “Nowhere else I would rather be.” He hummed thoughtfully, bringing his free hand up to his chin pretending to contemplate something. “You know what? I take that back. I _do_ have a dream vacation to Hawaii planned out—”

He smiled innocently when Alya glared at him. They sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, content to be in each other’s presence after being apart for so long. While Alya knew she never went a day without seeing Adrien, her relationship with Chat Noir was different—as ironic as it is since they’re the same person. She told him more than she told anyone else. Opening up is something Alya was getting better at, but it never felt hard to do with Chat Noir.

He made her feel safe. Safe in a way Alya never thought she could feel. 

The silent admission made her cheeks burn in embarrassment. Chat Noir, thankfully, didn’t make it clear whether or not he noticed. 

“I stood up to Lady Wifi,” Alya finally said. “ I’m going to need about a week before I can do it again—she nearly killed me and I almost pissed my pants, but I did it.” 

She told him everything. What happened tonight and everything he missed. Chat Noir listened intently the entire time. He gave her a quick rundown of what’s been happening while he’s been out as well. The lie about visiting akuma victims Nino told her about became a reality. (Alya acted like she didn’t know it was untrue at first, but felt proud he went out of his way to actually do it.) Master Fu also reached out and they had a long conversation and the older man gave him a long-overdue apology. 

“I think you scared him,” Chat Noir said honestly.

Alya shrugged. “Good. Glad to see I made a lasting impression.” 

Chat Noir rolled his eyes fondly and wrapped up the rest of his recount. Alya nearly had a heart attack when he mentioned a mugging he stopped on the way here.

“You were _stabbed_?!?! Why didn’t you say anything?!?!” Alya snapped, frantically searching for any injuries. 

“ _Lightly_ stabbed,” Chat Noir corrected, yelping when Alya flicked his forehead harshly. “Okay, now I’m injured.”

Alya ignored his whining and continued to look over him, satisfied when she saw he was okay, but also confused. “I don’t understand. A gun hurt you but a knife can’t? How does your magic even work?”

“That day I may or may not have forgotten how much energy I wasted fighting akumas,” Chat Noir said sheepishly. “My suit gives me protection, but it doesn’t last forever. I did keep that in mind today so! No harm!”

He dodged before Alya could flick him again. “You need to take care of yourself! We talked about this.”

“ _I_ need to take care of myself? What about you? I can’t believe you went a week without sleeping.” _You did too_ , Alya noted mentally. Chat Noir fixed her with a stern look. “Promise me you won’t do that again. Seriously, 7-9 hours of sleep each night.”

“Only if you promise me too,” Alya retorted. “You can’t be a hero if you don’t get enough sleep.” She knew he probably wouldn’t be able to keep that promise. Going to school and fighting crime didn’t exactly leave enough room to get a decent amount of sleep. But Alya would make sure to try and help him out, both Chat Noir and Adrien. 

The hero nodded in agreement, his expression turning more serious. “And Hawkmoth… it’s possible he could be keeping an eye on you. Lady Wifi could still be a powerful asset to him.”

“If that’s true, Master Fu has a lot of explaining to do. He never mentioned Hawkmoth _once_. When I did he shut me down and it wasn’t even about this,” Alya replied. 

Chat Noir’s staff beeped, cutting their conversation short. He pulled it out and a small section popped out, resembling a phone. A picture of Ladybug appeared with a message. Chat Noir read it quickly. 

“Another akuma is on the loose. I have to go.” Alya could tell he didn’t want to leave. She didn’t want him to either. But Paris needed him. What she wanted didn’t matter in the long run, not when other people needed to be saved too. 

Chat Noir stood reluctantly, extending his staff. “Ladybug and I will try our best to find out if Hawkmoth knows anything about Lady Wifi. It’s going to be difficult with all the akuma attacks, but I’m coming around more often. It’s better to be safe if he is targeting you.”

“Don’t push yourself because of me. I still have Trixx,” Alya reminded. “Even if Hawkmoth is involved, he won’t be able to do anything if I beat Lady Wifi first. And I will.”

Chat Noir smiled, admiration shining in his eyes. Alya returned the smile. It dropped when he moved to leave. 

“Be careful,” she warned. 

He hesitated before he climbed out the window, turning around to face her. “Is there anything you want Master Fu to know?” 

“Tell him he isn’t as good of a liar as he thinks he is.” 

Alya got up to get Trixx some fruit when he left, leaving a bowl of strawberries on her dresser for when the kwami woke up. She grabbed her laptop and sat down, feeling determined to get to the bottom of all this. The best way to beat an enemy is to get a good grasp on who they are. 

It all came down to researching. Alya could do it in her sleep. There’s a reason why no other Ladybug fanpage or news outlet held a candle to the Ladyblog. She knew her stuff. 

Alya searched up everything she could about Hawkmoth, reading any piece of information she could find. Searching up Lady Wifi was next, as hard as it was. She forced herself to go through everything she found. Though she did remember the event, reading it from the perspective of other people could help her uncover details she might not be aware of. By the time the sun rose, over 20 tabs were open on her laptop. 

Barely any information came up on Hawkmoth, which Alya expected. Lady Wifi only had tons of articles and videos because she streamed the entire thing while akumatized. Still, there were little to no resources regarding akumas in general. Ladybug, Chat Noir, and Master Fu were the only people knowledgeable enough on the subject besides Hawkmoth himself. Other than the extensive research she did online, Alya didn’t have many options left to turn to. She knew Lady Wifi, but how did she compare to other akumas? Was she more or less dangerous? Any little piece of information could help Alya beat her. 

For the next couple of days, she decided it would be best to let Trixx use his magic completely to avoid Lady Wifi. The akuma needed time to cool off and Alya didn’t want to risk provoking her further in her feral state. 

She also decided the best way to find out more about akumas was to go directly to the source. One of the many sources she knew personally. 

“I owe you an apology.”

Nino looked confused. It was a rare day where they were alone during lunch. Adrien and Marinette had outside club-related matters they needed to deal with—Marinette with art and Adrien with fencing. Since it was only them, they snuck up to the roof of the school to eat lunch. No one else dared to try in fear of getting caught, but Alya and Nino managed to find a way up there without alarming any teachers. 

“I haven’t been completely honest with you,” Alya confessed. “Lady Wifi… I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her. It’s the reason why I avoided sleeping for so long. My nightmares were getting really bad.”

“There’s nothing to apologize for. When you’re ready to talk, you eventually come around.”

“That doesn’t make it okay.”

Nino frowned. “You’re doing it again.” Alya avoided his gaze, taking a huge bite of her sandwich to avoid talking. “Telling the truth about stuff like this is hard. Keeping it a secret from me isn’t a bad thing. I already know you’ve probably insulted yourself in every way possible—” Sometimes Alya considered Nino could be a mind-reader. He knew her way too well. “—but you don’t need to feel bad at all. I’m happy you told me. Even if you didn’t, I’m not going anywhere.” 

“I really don’t deserve you as a friend,” Alya mumbled.

“Stop with the self-deprecation,” Nino scolded.

“Yes _mom_.” Alya gasped offensively when Nino took the last of her fries in retaliation. He gave her his last cookie to make up for it. “I’m not taking what I said back though. It’s the truth.”

He dramatically swooned. “Oh, you’re too kind! Me? That great of a friend? You’re making me blush.”

“Is it too late to take it back?”

“Definitely. My ego is as big as Chloe’s right now.” 

They broke into a fit of giggles. Alya finished her food and let herself fall back, her head landing in Nino’s lap. He wasn’t phased by the action and only moved to make himself more comfortable. 

“So, do you want to talk about the nightmares?” Nino asked, his tone indicating he could switch the topic if needed.

“I actually have more of a question,” Alya replied. The memory of Lady Wifi’s tears crossed her mind as she spoke. Nino stayed silent, waiting for a response. “Do you think the Bubbler was a bad person?”

His eyes widened in surprise. He went to say something but stopped, his eyebrows furrowing as he collected his thoughts. 

“Not completely,” Nino replied eventually. “His methods weren’t the best, but all he wanted was to throw a party for Adrien. That’s the entire reason I was akumatized in the first place.”

“Do you think all akumas are bad?”

“Their _existence_ is bad. Hawkmoth is the worst.” Alya grunted in agreement. “But their ultimate goal… it’s complicated to say yes or no. Some akumas are made out of rage and only want to hurt people. Others are mostly upset or angry on someone else’s behalf. I honestly don’t know. Whatever their reason for fighting might not be inherently wrong, but they’ve all hurt people. It’s hard to say.” Nino looked down at her. “Is that why your nightmares have been bothering you so much? Do you think Lady Wifi was completely bad?”

She closed her eyes for a second. Lady Wifi watched her from the darkness, unmoving. “I think she wanted to be seen,” Alya said, opening her eyes again. 

“I mean, I guess she got her wish. All of Paris saw her.”

Alya thought back to the way Lady Wifi reacted to Hawkmoth’s name.

_She didn’t get the attention of who she really wanted to see her,_ Alya noted mentally. _Neither did the Bubbler._

Adrien didn’t want to be anywhere near him. He wanted his best friend back. Regardless, Nino made a good point. Besides getting Ladybug and Chat Noir miraculouses, the real goal akumas could have aren’t inherently bad, depending on the person. But people _do_ get hurt. A tiny part of Alya did feel bad for Lady Wifi. But she knew what the akuma was capable of. Guilt aside, Alya needed to take her down.

“Anyway, enough akuma talk. It’s getting too depressing,” she declared. “Any updates on music boy?”

Nino grew flustered, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “Well, if you _must_ know, we exchanged numbers and we’re going on a date this weekend.” His blush darkened when Alya jumped up with an excited yell, shaking his shoulders. “I found out he’s a Jagged Stone fan so I got us tickets to one of his concerts.”

“You’re already whipped,” Alya teased, poking Nino’s stomach. “I can guarantee you guys are gonna be dating officially by Monday.” 

“Don’t get my hopes up!” he whined, hiding his face in his hands.

“Trust me, I saw the way he was looking at you. I have a knack for this sort of thing.”

Nino, reluctantly, agreed. Alya gave good advice on everything, and that included romance. They spent the rest of lunch talking about Luka, Nino convinced his face would turn red permanently from how much Alya teased him. They quickly ran back down into the building before they could get caught and parted ways to go to their next classes. 

Alya tried her best to pay attention, but her mind was set on Lady Wifi. She wanted to find out more about akumas. The internet gave her next to nothing, but she figured going to the library might give her a better shot. At least she hoped. 

She ran out of Miss Bustier’s class as soon as the last bell rang. Other than a few people in the library studying, the room was basically empty. Alya walked over to the librarian’s desk who automatically groaned seeing her approach. Why someone who hated working with kids decided to be a librarian, Alya would never understand. She plastered a fake smile on her face and pretended to be unaware of the librarian’s annoyance. 

“Sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if there were any books or other sources on akumas?” Alya asked.

Somehow the librarian became even more annoyed than before. “Not any that are good. The best sources we have are a couple of newspapers.”

“What’s the point of newspapers is everything is online?” Alya asked, quickly shutting her mouth when she received a glare. 

“You’re the first person to ever approach me inquiring about _akumas_ of all topics in the world. If newspapers are too old fashioned for you, look somewhere else.”

Alya didn’t bother to ask where the newspapers were located, afraid the librarian would bite her head off if she asked another question, and went to search for them on her own. She huffed in annoyance when she spotted a box at the very top of the shelf in the back of the library. Height-wise, Alya wasn’t that short, but she needed a stool to reach that high. She was contemplating if climbing up a shelf for a bunch of newspapers was worth it when arms appeared on either side of her, grabbing the box with ease. 

Adrien looked slightly amused when Alya turned around. 

“Make one short joke and I’ll end you,” she threatened, her eyes narrowed playfully. 

“I wasn’t gonna say anything,” he said innocently. The mischievous glint in his eyes told Alya otherwise. “By the way, Miss Bustier told everyone to get ready to talk about project grades when you ran out.”

“We’re discussing grades as a _class_?” Alya asked in disbelief. 

Adrien nodded, setting the box of newspapers down on a nearby table. “She didn’t seem too happy about it either.”

Alya remembered how troubled Miss Bustier looked during presentations but didn’t think much of it. Did the entire class do _that_ bad? The project was pretty straightforward. 

“I’m considering that a tomorrow problem,” Alya said. 

“In that case, can I ask why you were preparing to scale the bookshelf to get a box of newspapers?” 

“I would’ve found a stool!” Alya protested, pouting when Adrien chuckled. “I wanted to get some more perspectives on akuma attacks. For the Ladyblog. I’m trying to get it back up.” Not a complete lie. The Ladyblog wasn’t her priority, but posting the blog piece on Lady Wifi was part of her plan. 

Adrien grabbed a newspaper from the box, a huge picture of Andre standing next to his ice cream cart on the front page. Alya peeked over his shoulder to get a good look herself, already feeling like she hit a dead end. “The other newspapers might be more helpful than this one. Unless you’re interested in ice cream.”

“You didn’t know? I’m planning on starting my own ice cream business. This is exactly what I need!” Alya exclaimed sarcastically. 

Adrien nudged her. “Does that mean I get a friends discount?”

“Absolutely not. Everyone pays full price.”

“You monster!”

“Business is business!” 

They continued to bicker over Alya’s imaginary ice cream business, trying to quiet their laughter when other students trying to work sent them dirty looks. 

“Adrien.”

The stern voice put Alya on edge. Adrien tensed up, all signs of his amusement vanishing. A woman stood behind them with someone else by her side. Alya recognized him, wincing when she realized he was the same driver of the car she hit with her bike _and_ the one she helped Adrien avoid to go to the party. 

Way to make a first impression. 

“We have to get you back home before your father starts to worry. No more fooling around,” the woman directed her cold stare towards Alya who bristled. “There’s no time for distractions.”

“Give me another minute Nathalie, please. I won’t take that much longer,” Adrien promised. 

Nathalie didn’t respond, signaling her agreement. She stayed in place with the driver. The blonde held Alya’s hand and pulled her a little farther away in an attempt for some privacy. She could feel Nathalie glaring holes in the back of her head.

“I’m assuming this is because of your dad?” Alya guessed. “I’m sorry. I should’ve—”

“It’s not your fault,” Adrien assured. "I don’t regret going to the party. I knew what I was getting into once I disobeyed my dad.”

They ended up sleeping right up until Luka and Juleka said goodbye to everyone at the party and cleaned up. Nino stayed behind to help and also to be there once Alya and Adrien woke up. He tried to wake them up once the party ended but neither of them reacted and he decided to let them sleep longer. His intentions were kind but when they woke up, both their phones were blowing up with messages. Alya got Adrien home as fast as she could. Her parents gave her an hour-long lecture. She couldn’t imagine how furious Gabriel Agreste was. 

“Not that I don’t think it’s great you’re standing up for yourself, but what made you decide to do it?” Alya asked. 

Adrien, who never stopped holding her hand since they started talking, not that she minded, pulled away shyly and avoided her gaze. “A certain person told me I shouldn’t try to appease others. I know they were talking about the project, but it was the first time someone asked me what I wanted. So, I did what I wanted.”

She inspired him to do it? Alya couldn’t hide the smile on her face even if she tried. 

“They sound very wise,” she said thoughtfully. “Must be someone pretty important.”

“Yeah. Very important and wise,” Adrien agreed, returning her smile. 

Nathalie cleared her throat and tapped her watch impatiently. They had to leave. Alya pretended not to notice the signal. “My offer is still on the table, by the way.” The other teen immediately knew what she was referring to. 

_If you ever need someone to help you sneak out, I’ll be there_

“I’ll keep that in mind. But don’t worry.” Adrien smirked with a determined expression on his face, one Alya often saw on Chat Noir. “I have my ways of getting around.”

“Sure thing, Rapunzel.”

Adrien laughed at the nickname. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then, Eugene.”

Alya bowed dramatically and Adrien snorted, waving as his driver escorted him out. Nathalie stayed behind, keeping her eyes on Alya the entire time. The teen frowned.

“Can I help you?” she asked.

“You’re a bad influence for Adrien,” Nathalie stated, getting straight to the point. “It would benefit both of you if you went your separate ways.”

Alya glared. “Since we’re not beating around the bush here: I’m not gonna stop being friends with Adrien because you and your boss think I’m a bad influence, which I’m not. I could care less about what you think. It’s Adrien’s decision whether or not he wants to associate with me. Not yours.”

“You have no idea—

“—who I’m dealing with?” Alya finished. “Trust me, I do. I just don’t care.” She picked up the box of newspapers. “You might wanna hurry up. Don’t wanna make your boss mad.” 

Alya walked away, smirking when Nathalie rushed out of the library. Adrien’s dad already disliked her. She didn’t see the point of hiding her dislike for him or his assistant. Neither of them had the right to control Adrien’s life to the point where they got to decide who his friends were. 

Alya isn’t someone they could push around. Whatever they threw at her, she would throw right back. 

She dropped the box of newspapers in front of the librarian who didn’t bother to look up. “Do whatever you want with them. They’ve been collecting dust for months.”

Alya grabbed the box and left before the librarian could change her mind. Whether the newspapers actually would help her was still unclear. The story on Andre’s ice cream and more mundane topics in the newspaper Adrien picked up didn’t give her much hope the others were any better. Her phone buzzed in her pocket and Alya balanced the box with one arm to grab it, overcome with disbelief when she saw her notifications. 

**_mom_ ** _: i’m home with your sisters. your father wanted to pick you up from school today_

 **_mom_ ** _: be nice_

No fucking way. 

Her dad’s car was parked right in front of the school. Alya wanted to scream. Knowing her mom would give her more trouble if she walked home and completely ignored her dad, she reluctantly walked over to his car. She placed the box of newspapers in the trunk before sitting in the passenger seat. Alya purposely slammed the doors angrily as she did, refusing to hide her irritation. 

With her mom, Alya rarely ever talked back knowing how it would end up. She always managed to cut Alya deep, saying things she knew would hurt. Her dad tended to avoid fights, either trying to keep the peace between them or pretending the issue didn’t exist in the first place. The fact that he was here, actually trying to face an issue felt like a dream. Maybe under normal circumstances, Alya would give him a chance. But their conversation before he Animan was fresh in her mind.

Rightfully, she was pissed. 

Mr. Cesaire didn’t speak until they were a good distance away from the school. The flow of traffic was slower than usual, as it was around this hour because of school letting out, so it would take longer for them to get home. Alya dreadfully realized her dad probably planned this on purpose to give them time alone.

“I wanted to talk.”

“We can easily talk at home. Or, we could, if you stopped using work as an excuse to not come home.”

Her dad tightened the grip he had on the steering wheel. “Alya, _please_. I don’t want to fight with you.”

“Don’t worry, I don’t want to fight either. I already know where we stand.”

“That can’t be true.”

“Really? So you didn’t admit to missing how easy things were before mom had me?” Alya snapped. Her dad didn’t try to disagree. She ignored the sharp pang in her chest, already expecting to be disappointed. “That’s what I thought.”

Her dad, thankfully, didn’t attempt to start another conversation. Alya kept her gaze on the window, watching birds fly by in the sky. One of the birds flew in a weird direction and she frowned, squinting to get a better look.

Her heart dropped when it flew closer towards the ground. That was _not_ a bird.

People outside began to panic, screaming and running away. Alya couldn’t keep her eyes off of the akuma. Her body wouldn’t move. All her senses dilated, completely focused on the black butterfly. 

_Lady Wifi_

Her hands found the door handle.

_I heard through the grapevine that you’re seeking to unmask Ladybug. Is that still the case?_

“—ya??? _Alya_!”

She snapped out of it, pulling away from the door handle. Her dad was frantic. “What were you trying to do??? An akuma is on the loose and you want to get out of the car???”

The ground shook beneath them. The entire car jostled. Alya watched as a huge figure made of ice cream stomped down the street. People were screaming louder, running out of their cars and getting as far away as they possibly could. 

“Andre?” she whispered in horror, covering her ears when the ice cream monster roared. It had to be him. All of Paris knew him because of his famous ice cream. What could’ve happened to cause this?

Ladybug and Chat Noir quickly arrived on the scene, evacuating citizens and luring the ice cream monster away from them. Her dad sighed in relief.

“Thank god we’re far away. Traffic should ease up soon,” he said.

Alya completely ignored him. She noticed the red indents in her hands from gripping the car door. The _locked_ door. Even knowing that something in her still tried to leave and get to the akuma. What the hell—

Oh no. Oh _shit_.

The pull. The same pull she felt before her dad was akumatized. It was only subtle in the beginning and Alya couldn’t figure out why, but now it made sense. Her head snapped up at the sound of Lady Wifi’s laughter. She appeared in the side-view mirror, smirking devilishly. 

This was her doing. She was trying to get Alya to akumatized herself on _purpose_. 

“ **_You’re not the only one who can come up with a plan_ **,” Lady Wifi mocked. 

Alya ignored her for the rest of the car ride. She tried not to let her panic show on her face to avoid her dad asking questions. Avoiding akumas? _Extremely_ high on her list. Lady Wifi rendered her into a state of complete compliance, only focused on getting akumatized. Alya didn’t think her power could be this great, but she was only more determined to get rid of it.

She grabbed the box of newspapers and went straight to her room as soon as they got home, only acknowledging Ella and Etta. The questions her mom has about school and the ride home with her dad went unanswered. Alya opted to eat dinner in her room for the sake of her sanity. She read through the newspapers while she ate, losing motivation when none of them offered much. The ones with actual recounts of akuma attacks were word-for-word of the articles she found online. 

Alya sighed when she reached the last newspapers, preparing herself for disappointment. She paused when she turned to the last page, zeroing in on the one picture featured in the middle. Her jaw dropped when she read the headline for it.

_Hawkmoth: The Invisible Villain_

No one knew where Hawkmoth was or where to start looking for him, let alone what he looked like. To the public, he was a mystery. 

So how the hell did someone manage to capture a photo of him? An extremely blurry photo, but it was something.

Alya looked it over, trying to find something that could give her a clue. The other blurry figure in the photo was Ladybug, strangely without Chat Noir. Alya frowned, trying to remember if the news ever covered this fight. Why was the heroine alone? How did no one know about this? A huge swarm of questions boggled Alya’s mind as she continued to study the photo. 

That’s when she noticed.

If she found this before she went to see Master Fu, Alya would’ve never figured it out. Even if she did notice the small object, it wouldn’t have meant anything to her.

But she remembered the empty spaces in the box of miraculouses. One of them had a purple butterfly, the same one on Hawkmoth’s costume. No wonder why Master Fu took the safety of the miraculouses so seriously. Hawkmoth had one himself. 

Alya didn’t waste any time and grabbed a pair of scissors, cutting out the photo. The librarian did say she could do whatever she wanted with them after all. While it wasn’t nighttime yet, Alya took the fox miraculous out of its hiding place. She waited until Trixx appeared to start her rant.

“Hawkmoth has a miraculous. I don’t know if he stole it or if Master Fu gave it to him in the past but _he has a miraculous_. That’s where his magic comes from! I can’t believe I didn’t figure it out before.” Alya paced around her room. “That’s why he can only create one akuma at a time. Every miraculous has a limit. Which means even if he’s aware Lady Wifi is still around, he won’t be able to do anything about it unless he goes through the same akumatization process, and I doubt he’s gonna sit around waiting for me to leave myself vulnerable. He can’t do anything right now.”

“Alya—”

“Does that mean he wants to combine Ladybug and Chat Noir’s miraculouses with his? Is there another power that can be unlocked if multiple are used at once? What’s his end goal?”

“ _Alya—_ ”

“What’s his history with Master Fu? Do they know each other? How did he—”

“ _Alya!!!_ ”

She stopped. Trixx gestured towards the pile of newspapers on her desk. “This is exactly what Master Fu told you not to do! You’re not supposed to know any of this! Do you realize what position you’re putting yourself in? There are rules—”

“Maybe those rules need to be revised!” Alya snapped. “I didn’t have a _choice_ . Master Fu left a lot of holes in his story and now I know why! Hawkmoth has a bigger role to play in all this and he refused to tell me, so I looked into it myself.” She grabbed the picture and waved it around. “Because of _this_ , I know he has limits. Which means Lady Wifi does too. I don’t regret anything.”

“Then you stop here,” Trixx demanded.

“No way.”

“ _Why_ are you insisting—”

“Can you honestly tell me you agree with every single decision Master Fu has ever made?” Trixx went quiet. “I’m going to stop Lady Wifi. Once I do that? I’m tracking down Hawkmoth. He made my life and everyone else’s a living hell. I’m not taking this sitting down.”

Lady Wifi and Hawkmoth were on two different levels of terrifying. Alya knew trying to find him was one of the boldest, and quite frankly dumbest, plans she’s ever had. Especially trying to do it alone. But she was _mad_. No one messed with her and got away with it. Not is she could help it.

“My job is to look after you. I’m not letting you go after Hawkmoth alone,” Trixx said firmly. 

Alya smiled, giggling when the kwami nuzzled her cheek. She could feel Trixx’s hesitance to go against Master Fu but was grateful the kwami had her back. 

“By the way, I meant to ask.” Alya hummed, taking out her notebook to start writing down notes on Hawkmoth and Lady Wifi. “You know who Chat Noir is, don’t you?”

She froze, her pen hovering over the empty notebook page. “Depends on how you feel about the whole ‘secret identity rule’.”

“Tell him you know sooner than later.” The answer took Alya by surprise. Trixx smiled sadly, a look in his eyes Alya couldn’t read. “Trust me. The longer you wait, the worse it’ll be.”

She didn’t know what to say to that. It sounded like Trixx was speaking from experience, and she couldn’t help but think something happened with a previous holder of the fox miraculous. Before Alya could ask, her phone started to ring. A facetime call request from Marinette flashed on the screen. Alya panicked, reciting a quick apology to Trixx as she took off the fox miraculous, putting it back in its hiding spot. Alya cleared her desk and propped her phone up, fixing her shirt and running a hand through her hair to fix it. She froze when she registered her movements.

This is _Marinette_. She shouldn’t be this jumpy or worried about her appearance. Alya took a deep breath and answered the call. She felt a little better seeing Marinette move nervously in her seat.

“Hey.”

“Hi.”

The awkwardness…. god. When did they get this bad?

“I wanted to be the one to tell you before everyone heard about it, but promise me you won’t freak out?” Marinette asked.

Alya narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “Why would I freak out?”

“Andre was akumatized…. and, um, Imthereasonwhyithappned.”

“ _What??!!_ ”

“I know! I’m the worst!” Marinette groaned, dropping her head on her desk. “I keep messing things up!”

“What the hell happened?” Alya demanded. 

“Something that could’ve been avoided if we talked.” 

Marinette sat up and pulled at her pigtails in frustration. “We’ve been acting like strangers for _days_! We’re best friends. We tell each other everything. Lately, that hasn’t been the case.”

“Is that why you went to Juleka and Luka instead of coming to me?” Alya remarked bitterly.

“I could say the same to you about Nino and Adrien,” Marinette shot back.

Fair point. Though she missed the fact that Marinette either allowed Alya to talk even if she wanted to. Something _always_ came up. Marinette never meant to hurt her on purpose, but it didn’t make Alya feel any less hurt. The other teen had such a hectic life, but never had time for her best friend? It made Alya wonder what Marinette could possibly be hiding.

But she kept the fact to herself. 

“Great. So we’re both terrible,” Alya deadpanned.

Marinette frowned, her shoulders dropping in defeat. “I guess we are.”

“I’m sorry,” they chorused, shocked they spoke at the exact same time. 

“At least we’re on the same wavelength,” Marinette offered, making Alya laugh. “I really am sorry. I don’t know what got into me.” 

“Me either,” Alya said quietly.

“Promise not to let it happen again?”

“Promise.”

Deep down, they both knew it was a lie for different reasons. But it was the first time since they started acting off where things felt _normal_ again. They didn’t want to ruin it. 

Alya leaned back in her seat. “So, back to Andre?” 

“Right,” Marinette said, a faint blush on her cheeks at the reminder of the event. “Marc and Nathaniel asked me if I wanted to work on an art project with them for the club. They’re thinking about painting a mural so I agreed. We were walking home from school talking about it when we ran into Andre. He, uh….” The blush on Marinette’s face deepened. “The first ice cream cone he gave me resembled Adrien, but someone bumped into me and I dropped it. The next one resembled someone else and I got all confused, and he did too because _apparently_ that’s never happened before, and I told him I didn’t believe in his magic ice cream and the next thing you know he’s an ice cream monster destroying Paris and turning people into ice cream!”

Marinette took a moment to collect herself as Alya processed what she said. “Is this ‘someone else’ Kagami?” The other girl squeaked in embarrassment and Alya took that as her answer. “So you like—”

“I don’t like Kagami!” Marinette immediately denied. “We barely know each other! A-And maybe it was just a fluke, you know? A mistake Andre made! Adrien was the first person he thought of so that means _he’s_ my actual crush.”

“So did I imagine you acting flustered around her? I can’t remember the last time you ranted about Adrien or tripped over your words around him,” Alya argued.

“That’s only because other things were distracting me!”

“By ‘other things’ you mean Kagami?”

“ _No_!” 

“Dude, you and Kagami were practically glued together at the party. The only time I saw you guys apart was when you were with Adrien and the rest of the class,” Alya pointed out. “You looked completely calm too.”

“You only watched us for a split second. The minute Adrien looked at me I choked up! I made up some random excuse and left. That’s when Nino caught him before he passed out,” Marinette said with a sigh.

Alya considered her next words carefully. “Then who’s Kagami to you?”

“A friend,” Marinette replied. It sounded like she was trying to convince herself that was the right answer, but Alya didn’t call her out on it. “Adrien has always been my crush. I won’t let some stupid ice cream try to tell me otherwise.”

“Does that mean you still want me to come up with plans to get you guys to talk?” 

“Plans that won’t work because I can barely form a sentence around him,” Marinette grumbled. 

“You know Adrien isn't any different from the rest of us. I think I’m seeing why you get so nervous,” Alya remarked. “You put Adrien on this high pedestal and have a mindset that he’s out of your league when that isn’t the case! He considers you a good friend Mari. You have to stop telling yourself he thinks otherwise.”

“You have a point,” she mumbled. 

Alya smiled smugly. “Of course I do. I’m always right.” 

Marinette waved her off with a laugh. They went on to talk about a few minor things, Alya glad the awkwardness finally disappeared. 

“You know, it’s kinda funny.”

“What is?”

“A few weeks ago you and Adrien were basically strangers, but now it seems like you’ve known each other for years. You sure you’re not secretly pining after him too?”

Alya knew Marinette was joking, but the statement threw her for a loop. 

“My heart belongs to my phone,” she said, hoping the other teen didn’t notice her beat of silence. 

“I meant what I said the other day, seriously. I’m glad you guys got closer. You work well together.” 

Alya pulled her hoodie up to hide the slight tinge of red on her cheeks. She _knew_ what Marinette meant; there was no reason to overthink anything. 

“I’m happy to have him as a friend.”

Alya, in the very back of her mind, wondered why her own words didn’t sound right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you enjoyed the chapter! kudos/comments are greatly appreciated!!!
> 
> twitter: @IR8NHEART


	10. ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw //
> 
> slight violence, self-harm, intrusive thoughts, mentions of gun violence

Alya groaned irritability when her alarm went off. She threw her pillow over her face, tempted to ignore her alarm and stay in bed for the rest of the day. Even during a night of dreamless sleep, she could feel Lady Wifi prodding through Trixx’s magic. Her rage from the previous night didn’t fade. It felt as intense as a flame, keeping Alya on guard all night. It didn’t help that she stayed up later than usual continuing her research on Hawkmoth. Her conversation with Marinette also took up a lot of time, but after what they went through Alya refused to cut their talk short. 

With the knowledge of Hawkmoth’s limitations with his miraculous, Alya decided to create a list of suspects. She figured whoever Hawkmoth was had to be in a position of power. He had the resources to keep his identity under wraps. If he was someone random civilian Ladybug and Chat Noir would’ve found him by now. Whoever he was also must’ve already known about miraculouses. Hawkmoth never messed up or faltered in his plans. His track record for said plans wasn’t the best, but his powers always worked the way he wanted them to. That’s how Alya knew Ladybug had to be around her age since she didn’t know how to fully get rid of akumas until beating Stoneheart the second time. She lacked the experience Hawkmoth already had. His voice didn’t sound like it belonged to one of her classmates or a random civilian either.

(Alya still wrote Kim and Chloe’s names on the list for her own amusement. She later crossed them out with a pout when Trixx scolded her.) 

His voice carried a lot of power behind it. Alya couldn’t forget the sound of it if she tried. His voice haunted her for weeks after the Lady Wifi incident and it still did now. The thought of him getting inside her head again made Alya want to curl up in a corner and hide. She hated how scared she was. How easily Hawkmoth could render her into a distressed state with a few simple words. 

She knew his voice too well. 

It did help to shorten her list of suspects at least. From his tone, Alya could tell he was used to being in charge and running things. There were only a few people Alya could think of that had similar traits:

**hawkmoth suspects**

**andre bourgeois: he’s the mayor it could be possible**

**mr. damocles: our principal but he’s always going on about heroes so maybe not. and, not to be mean, but he isn’t the most confident person either**

**alec cataldi: THE tv host of paris. His face is on every billboard and new network. the face of public media & has a lot of influence. not a high suspect but you never know**

**roger raincomprix: police chief. could be covering up his crimes if he is hawkmoth**

**gabriel agreste: idk what a fashion designer would want with a miraculous but he’s definitely a suspect & gives me evil vibes. probably the worst person on this list**

Alya begrudgingly admitted her notes on Mr. Agreste were biased. As much as she disliked the man, he could be innocent. It made her feel like she was betraying Adrien in a way by accusing his dad. She knew how much he cared about him despite their rocky relationship. Her best bet was to start with the mayor. Out of everyone on the list he has the most influence in Paris. He could easily be hiding a villainous persona. 

And if he was, Chloe being his daughter wouldn't be a huge surprise. 

Rapid banging on her door caught Alya’s attention. She sunk deeper into her bed with a tired sigh, already knowing who the culprits were. 

“Alyaaaaaaaa! We’re hungry!” Ella whined. “And can you please turn off your alarm? The buzzing sound is really annoying!”

“We’re gonna die of hunger if you don’t get up! You can’t be a big fancy journalist if you kill your sisters!” Etta added.

Alya hit the snooze button on her alarm with a dramatic sigh. “I’ll be out in a second. You gremlins better be dressed and ready for school!” 

Her sisters ran down the hall, calling dibs on using the bathroom first. Alya got up, pretending to be annoyed when Trixx nuzzled her cheek in greeting. They said a quick goodbye as Alya took off the fox miraculous. She frowned as she held it in her hands, the tired expression on the kwami’s face not going unnoticed. Trixx was doing everything in his power to keep Lady Wifi at bay. She couldn’t let his dedication go to waste. 

She hid the list of suspects in the same place she stored the fox miraculous to be safe. Alya trudged into the kitchen and decided to make waffles for breakfast. She spotted a note on the fridge when she reached for the waffle mix. The first line read her dad would be home early to look after the twins. She didn’t have to worry about coming home right after school. The rest of the message sounded like the beginning of an apology and Alya wasn’t in the mood. She crumbled the note and discarded it in the trash. If he wanted to say something, he would have to confront her. She wasn’t giving him any leeway to make things right. 

Ella and Etta were ready for school by the time Alya poured the last of the batter into the waffle maker. She made herself a cup of coffee while making the batter and had more ready in thermoses—hers and Adrien’s. She never broke the habit of bringing him coffee every morning, even after their week of sleeplessness. 

Admittedly, for some odd reason, she didn’t want to stop. 

Adrien always brightened up when he received the coffee. He insisted on clinking their thermoses together each time, taking a sip with his pinky out like a dork. Alya could never hold back her laughter at the sight. He always had a chocolate croissant saved for her, as promised—he never broke the habit either—and Alya ate it happily. The radiance of Adrien’s smile rivaled the sun whenever she thanked him. It was a small moment they shared every morning. One that didn’t have much significance in the long run. If they stopped her mornings wouldn’t be seriously affected. Despite that, Alya didn’t want it to end. 

So, she kept bringing him coffee.

The waffle maker beeped and Alya took out the waffles, growing suspicious when Ella and Etta started frantically whispering. The twins were unpredictable. Depending on how well they slept determined their moods for the rest of the day. Most of the time the only thing they wanted to do was wreck havoc. That could mean being stubborn and not listening, tantrums, or messing with her. Alya plated the waffles, purposely clanking the plates against the countertop to get their attention.

“What are you two conspiring about? It better not be another one of your pranks,” Alya said, her tone carrying a warning. The last prank they pulled ended up with her having green hair for an entire  _ week _ . Nino, much to her annoyance, created a whole  _ list  _ of names to alternate between. Being called ‘broccoli head’ one day and ‘discount green goblin’ the next drove her insane. 

Ella spoke up first. “We’re not planning anything bad! Our class is having a big bake sale next week and we want to bring the best treat in.”

“We asked mom for help and she kept saying she would bake whatever we wanted but wouldn’t agree to do it with us,” Etta continued. That didn’t surprise Alya in the slightest. Her mom showed a lot more affection and care to her sisters but tended to be just as neglectful as she was with Alya. Pushing them away and putting work as her priority. 

“We were whispering because we were trying to find a way to ask you to help,” Ella cleared up. 

“You guys don’t have to be afraid to ask me for help,” Alya reassured. “Of  _ course  _ I will. Marinette might be willing to come over—”

“No!”

The ferocity in their tones surprised Alya. 

“Since when do you guys not want to bake with Marinette? It’s all you ever  _ want  _ to do when she comes over.”  _ Or when she used to come over.  _ Alya thought bitterly. Marinette rarely had time to hang out outside of school anymore. She couldn’t remember the last time they had a sleepover or one-on-one time that wasn’t school-related. 

“Only this once!” Ella defended. “We…” She faltered, avoiding Alya’s gaze. Etta nudged her encouragingly. “We just wanna do this with you. No one else.” 

Alya didn’t know how to begin processing the statement. The request itself wasn’t what left her dazed. Her sisters being nervous to ask in the first place is what got her. She hated how they were so used to hearing no constantly from their own  _ mother  _ that even Alya herself would start to neglect them. 

Sometimes she forgot she wasn’t the only one afraid of being abandoned. Her sisters knew the feeling just as well as she did. The least Alya could do was be there for them as much as she could. 

“Then it’ll be just us,” Alya confirmed, unable to hide her smile when her sisters cheered. “When’s the bake sale?” 

“Friday!” the twins chorused. 

“Then we’ll make some brownies on Thursday. Sound good?” 

Ella and Etta nodded enthusiastically. Alya ruffled the top of their heads and started to clean up around the kitchen. Etta started to eat but Ella didn’t move, still staring at Alya. 

“You promise?” she asked, her voice wobbly but her words firm. 

Alya was used to hearing empty promises. More so from her mom than her dad. Despite everything, at least he was always upfront with how he felt from time to time. She didn’t want to be like her parents. She would walk through hell and back for her sisters as much as they drove her crazy.

The weight of a promise, a  _ real  _ promise, was important. A bake sale may be considered trivial to anyone else, but Alya knew how important it was for her sisters. She refused to let them down. 

“I promise. I’ll be there.”

Ella nodded, satisfied by the response. She gasped when she noticed Etta trying to steal a piece of her waffle and slapped her hand away. Alya slid Etta the extra waffle she made to avoid a fight from breaking out. She went back to cleaning once she was sure Etta wouldn’t bother Ella again.

In the next few minutes, Alya washed their empty plates and guided them outside to board the bus to school. She waved goodbye before running back upstairs to get ready for the day. Through her rush, it completely slipped her mind of what Adrien told her awaited them in today’s class. 

“Your projects weren’t what I asked for.”

The entire class began to talk over each other, confused as to what they did wrong. All Alya could do was shrug when Marinette shot her a questioning glance. She had no idea what could’ve gone wrong.

“Miss Bustier, with all due respect, I don’t think that’s true,” Alix argued. “The assignment was to pick a prominent figure in our lives and explain why we chose them. That’s what everyone did.”

Everyone murmured in agreement. Miss Bustier sighed. “You’re right, everyone followed the rubric. But almost  _ all  _ groups picked the mayor as their figure. Only a few of you picked different people.”

“Maybe some of us just really look up to the mayor,” Kim defended. 

“Or maybe most of you wanted an easy person to research for an easy A,” Miss Bustier countered with a raised eyebrow. Kim didn’t deny the claim. “Your presentations overall weren’t the best. Not one group passed.”

“Miss Bustier, I honestly don’t see the problem. We followed the rubric and presented the information like you asked us to do. Sure, some people had the same figures, but why does that matter? We had the choice to pick anyone,” Max pointed out. “I don’t see how anyone failed when we followed all the instructions.” 

Miss Bustier didn’t say anything for a moment. Her eyes scanned the classroom, studying each student carefully. 

“You all failed because you weren’t honest.”

The room went silent. 

“Everyone in this room is aware of what could happen the minute we step outside. It could even happen in here.” Alya squirmed uncomfortably in her seat. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what she was implying. “It’s hard to find a place where we feel safe. But I want this classroom to be some semblance of a safe space for all of you.” She picked up all the grading sheets she used for their presentations and held them up for everyone to see. The bright red zeroes were extremely prominent. “I don’t want any of you to be superficial. I want the truth. I want you to be truthful with each  _ other _ .” She could feel Marinette side-eyeing her. Alya couldn’t bring herself to show she noticed. Her eyes were glued to the back of Adrien’s head. “I know there’s one person that genuinely helps each of you through what we have to deal with. I also know how scary it is to be forward with our feelings. I don’t want anyone to feel like they can’t do that in here.”

Miss Bustier gathered the papers in a pile and stood from her desk. Everyone watched as she walked towards the trash can and threw them away. 

“I’m going to give you a week to redo the project. Don’t hold anything back. Be  _ honest _ . Let your partner in. More importantly: let yourself go.” 

When the bell rang for second period, no one moved. The heavy atmosphere kept them glued to their seats. 

Alya couldn’t stop thinking about Miss Bustier’s speech. The more she talked about truth, the more guilty Alya felt. She couldn’t be completely truthful even if she wanted to. 

The person she was supposed to be honest with is the same person she’s been lying to. 

She put herself in the worst possible position. Alya knew the risks of looking into Chat Noir’s identity. Lady Wifi was a product of what went wrong after she tried to find out who Ladybug was. Something equally as bad could’ve happened during her second investigation. Going into this, Alya thought she planned for every possible outcome. She didn’t count on being right, let alone having to face the reality of telling Adrien she knows. 

This wasn’t like the Ladybug incident with Chloe. Alya  _ knew  _ she was right. All signs pointed to Adrien being Chat Noir. Trixx warned her to be honest sooner rather than later. She couldn’t keep running away. 

Adrien spotted Alya when she walked into the cafeteria and waved. She waved back, unable to stay in her low mood seeing Adrien smile. Maybe it was a cowardly move, but Alya couldn’t do it. Not yet. There could be details she didn’t consider or evidence that could point her in a different direction. There had to be. She knew she was making up excuses, but Alya couldn’t bear the thought of ruining the friendship she grew with Adrien. 

“I’m stuck with Chloe  _ again _ . This is the worst day of my life,” Nino wailed when Alya approached their table. 

“Didn’t you say she isn’t as bad anymore?” Adrien asked. 

“That doesn’t mean I want to tell her all my deepest secrets! I barely trust her to do her half of the project by herself,” Nino replied.

“Then make it a group thing,” Alya suggested. “Chloe isn’t as annoying when she’s around Alix.”

Nino made a noise of disagreement. “What about Ivan? He’s working with Alix and I don’t want her to ditch him.”

“Mylene is working with Rose, isn’t she? If you invite them Ivan wouldn’t feel left out with his girlfriend there. And since Rose and Ivan are in Kitty Section together, Juleka and Marinette could go too since Juleka is also in the band and she’ll have Rose. They’ll feel more comfortable opening up with their bandmates. Alix is close with them too and Chloe won’t be as unbearable with her around,” Alya proposed. “ _ Adrien _ and I—” she kicked Marinette’s leg under the table inconspicuously “—could also come.”

The other girl didn’t react. Her eyes were glued to her phone. They have been since the start of the school day. Alya tried to ask Marinette about it but the subject was quickly changed. Now, even at the mention of Adrien, she didn’t move a muscle. 

“Alya, you have the brain of a mastermind,” Nino gushed as he pulled out his phone to text the group. 

“Tell me something I don’t know,” Alya replied, focused on Marinette. She was the one who wanted Alya to help her talk to Adrien. Why wasn’t she responding?

“I don’t think I’ll be able to go. My dad doesn’t even let me out of my room without Nathalie watching over me,” Adrien said with a frown. “I honestly don’t know how he’s gonna feel about this project. He doesn’t want any friends coming over that could ‘take me away from my studies’.”

Alya winced. How could she forget? His dad had Adrien on lockdown for who knows how long. Before she could respond, Marinette finally decided to speak up.

“That’s great,” she muttered.

Alya slapped her forehead. Marinette always had the  _ worst  _ timing. 

Nino looked at her in disbelief. A hurt expression crossed Adrien’s face and he turned away. Marinette froze, realizing she spoke aloud. She stood up and waved her arms around in alarm.

“T-That’s not what I meant! I wasn’t—I-I mean it’s not great—totally not great! Absolutely not! Your dad is the worst. Well—m-maybe ‘the worst’ is going too far…. I-I’m sure he cares! But hey, what do I know, right?” Marinette laughed nervously. “I, um—I’m just gonna shut up now.” She sat back down and grabbed her phone, attempting to hide her flustered face behind it. 

Alya dropped her head on the table. At this rate, Marinette wouldn’t be able to form a full sentence in front of Adrien until  _ graduation _ . She needed to figure out another strategy. 

“Everyone’s in,” Nino said in an attempt to break the awkward tension. “Juleka said we could go over to her place.”

Alya picked her head up, waggling her eyebrows. “I’m sure Luka’s very excited to see you.” A bright red blossomed on Nino’s face. He took a huge bite of his food to avoid speaking, though his excitement to see Luka again was obvious.

She turned her attention towards Adrien. His hurt expression was replaced by a frustrated one. “Hey, don’t worry about your dad. He can’t tell you not to do the project. If he values your schoolwork so much he’ll have to deal with it.” 

“My father isn’t the type of person to deal with anything. Whatever he says goes,” Adrien muttered. 

Alya smirked. “Too bad for him. He’ll have to deal with me.” Adrien studied her curiously. “I’m coming to your house after school. He wants you to stay home so we’ll work from there. You won’t be disobeying him since I’ll be there as a project partner, not a friend. Technically.”

“I don’t know….”

“This is your call. If you want to figure out another way this could work we can,” Alya said softly. “I don’t want to get you into any more trouble. I’ll agree with whatever you want to do.”

Alya could tell Adrien already made up his mind. Going against his father to attend Juleka’s party was only the beginning. He never took anything sitting down as Chat Noir. He was starting to do the same as Adrien. His nervousness didn’t completely fade away, but the mischievous glint in his eyes told Alya all she needed to know. 

He was far from done with rebelling. 

“I guess my dad will have to learn to deal with it,” Adrien decided. 

“Don’t do anything too crazy,” Nino warned, his request falling on deaf ears as Alya and Adrien high-fived each other with matching smiles on their faces. “Or you can ignore me and do exactly that. Whatever floats your boat!”

Alya snorted when Adrien pretended he couldn’t see Nino, searching the cafeteria as if his voice came from somewhere else. He scowled and reached across the table to pull Adrien into a headlock. Marinette squeaked in surprise when Nino accidentally pushed her aside to get to the blonde. Alya calmly picked up her burger and started to eat as her friends continued to scuffle. They eventually stopped when Marinette separated them, growing more flustered when her brain registered her hand on Adrien’s chest. She shoved him back with more force than necessary in panic. Adrien assured her he was okay when she apologized.

During the entire exchange, Alya—purposely minding her business to let Marinette and Adrien do their own thing—grimaced after taking the first bite of her burger. She held back her disgust when she spotted the problem: pickles. The lunch ladies never got her order right no matter how many times she expressed her dislike for them. 

A chin resting on her shoulder pulled her away from her pickle dilemma. She turned, not surprised to see Adrien wearing the best puppy-dog eyes he could muster. 

“You disgust me. I seriously need you to know that,” Alya deadpanned. She took the pickles off of her burger and put them on his.

“This coming from the pickle hater?” Adrien shot back. “You disgust  _ me _ .”

“That’s how you treat me? After I was nice enough to place those slimy circles of terror on your burger?”

“ _ Pickles _ . You can say pickles!”

“I’m calling them by what they are. A mistake! An abomination! A— don’t you fucking  _ dare _ —” Alya shoved him away when he grabbed a stray pickle and dangled it in front of her face. 

“Apologize to the pickle!”

“You’re  _ ridiculous _ —”

A loud cough from Nino cut their bickering short. The look on his face reminded Alya of the one he wore when he found them cuddling during Juleka’s party. It screamed ‘I know something you don’t’ and it frustrated Alya to no end. “So. Pickles.” He cleared his throat. “Didn’t know you guys were so passionate on the subject.”

“I’m not. This menace is,” Alya corrected, pretending not to hear Adrien’s offended gasp. “We had time to kill when we were working on the project and decided to get something to eat. That’s when I discovered he’s a pickle fan.”

She failed to mention the fact her mom nearly ripped her head off from how late she came home that day. Or any of the other days she spent with Adrien. Neither of them ever noticed how much time passed while they were together. 

“Not my fault my tastebuds are more advanced than yours,” Adrien mumbled sassily.

Alya stuck her tongue out at him. “You can bond over your love for pickles with Marinette. She, unfortunately, also likes them.” A weird topic to bond over, but it was something. 

“I, for one, am team pickle,” Nino chimed in.

“Did you seriously just say team pickle?”

“I’m on  _ your  _ side and you’re making fun of me???”

“I can’t believe I’m friends with you people,” Alya groaned.

“I-I have to go.”

Marinette grabbed her bag and bolted without further explanation. Everyone failed to notice the tears gathering in her eyes. 

Alya gaped and watched as she fled, not expecting the reaction at all. Adrien and Nino called after her but the other teen was long gone. They sat in silence, all eyes on the spot Marinette once occupied. Adrien glanced at Alya worriedly and she returned it, unable to come up with an explanation.

She got up and ran out of the cafeteria to find her. 

What made her so upset? Was it something they said? Something the person Marinette was texting said? Alya cursed quietly when she found another empty classroom. When it came to her best friend, Alya never thought their relationship could become this complicated. On a normal day, Marinette would’ve told her exactly why she so focused on her phone and instead of running away, she would’ve asked her to leave the cafeteria together to talk. 

This wasn’t them. And Alya didn’t know how to fix it.

They  _ just  _ talked things out and now it felt like they were back at square one. She can’t pinpoint where their friendship started to shift. A sinking feeling in her gut made her worry that maybe they would never get back to the way they used to be. Even if that were the case, Alya refused to give up on Marinette. They would get through whatever this is.

She heard a locker close and ran towards the noise, relieved to see Marinette. She reached out to grab her shoulder.

“Marinette—”

The next few seconds were a blur.

One minute Alya touched Marinette, and in the next, the wind was knocked out of her as her back slammed into the lockers. Marinette’s hand hovered over her purse defensively, her entire body on alert. Her free arm pushed against Alya’s neck, keeping her from moving. She tried to break free only for Marinette to increase the pressure. 

Her head spun from colliding with the lockers, jumbling her thoughts—the one coherent thought she had kept repeating  _ holy shit my best friend  _ _ attacked me _ over and over again. Alya tried to calm down to assess the situation.

There were no sighs of Hawkmoth’s magic anywhere. This wasn’t the work of an akuma. It was all Marinette, which made this even more alarming. Her eyes were glazed over, panic written all over her face. 

She wasn’t here. Her mind was stuck somewhere else. 

“Marinette, it’s  _ me _ ,” Alya croaked. She could barely catch her breath with the arm on her throat. Since when did Marinette get so strong? “No one else is in here, it’s just us.” Spots danced across her vision when the pressure on her neck increased. “Marinette, I’m  _ begging  _ you—listen to the sound of my voice.”

Marinette blinked. It took a few seconds for her to grasp what was happening, the dissociated glaze over her eyes disappearing. She gasped in alarm seeing Alya’s position and pulled away. Alya coughed and leaned back against the lockers, trying to get her breathing back under control. She couldn’t hide her flinch when Marinette held out a hand to help her stand up straight. The pressure put on her neck reminded her of her terrible nightmare. The feeling of not being able to speak while everyone called out to her, begging for help,  _ needing  _ her—

She scratched her neck.

Marinette quickly pulled her hand into her chest and stepped back, creating a huge space between them. Literally and metaphorically. 

Alya knew Marinette would never hurt her on purpose. She also knew how jumpy she could get because of her nerves. But to be at a point where Marinette was fully ready to  _ attack _ ? They were beyond the point of keeping small secrets. Something  _ huge _ , potentially dangerous, is being kept from her. 

“I don’t—I don’t know what came over me,” Marinette nervously rambled. “I tried to find somewhere to be alone a-and I guess I got distracted—”

“What’s going on with you???” Alya demanded, her voice raspy.

“I’m fi—”

“ _ Bullshit _ .” she snapped. “You nearly took my head off!”

“I’m  _ sorry _ . I didn’t mean to hurt you,” Marinette cried, her voice breaking.

“Then tell me why that happened. Why did you feel the need to defend yourself? I’ve never seen you like this before! No one in this building would try to physically harm you but you still reacted the way you did.  _ Why _ ?”

“It’s  _ nothing _ —”

Alya resisted the urge to scream. “Stop lying! This isn’t nothing—tell me the  _ truth _ .”

“Alya—”

“The  _ truth— _ ”

“Please just—”

“I’m not letting this go until you stop ly—”

“Kagami!”

Alya’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “What?”

“I met up with Kagami last night,” Marinette elaborated. She wrapped her arms around herself, her voice growing quiet. “We ended up losing track of time and she didn’t want me to walk home alone in the dark. A mugger came out of an alley we walked past and grabbed me.” Alya swallowed back the bile rising in her throat. “I told Kagami to run and get help but she refused to leave. The mugger got mad and he—” she took a shaky breath. “—he pointed a gun at my head. Chat Noir came before anything seriously bad happened. We were lucky.” 

Alya couldn’t say anything. She didn’t know  _ what  _ to say.

“That’s why I reacted the way I did. I panicked and reacted on instinct,” Marinette continued. “I’ve been on my phone all day texting Kagami to check in and make sure she’s okay.”

For a long time, they stood in silence. Alya couldn't wrap her head around what she just heard. Marinette shifted nervously, her gaze shifting from Alya to the ground.

Where could she begin? They weren’t strangers to how dangerous Paris grew under Hawkmoth. No one was exempt from getting hurt. But this…. this was a different level of danger. One that could’ve gone badly if not for Chat Noir. 

She could’ve lost her best friend. She came close to losing her, and if Alya didn’t chase her down as she did, Marinette would’ve kept it under wraps. Her body began to shake with rage.

“So… you were held at gunpoint, and decided to keep something as major as that a secret???”

“What do you expect me to do?” Marinette snapped, finally letting her anger out. “It’s not a topic I can bring up casually in a conversation! I didn’t want you to worry!”

“This isn’t something you keep a secret Marinette!” Alya shot back. “What if Chat Noir didn’t show up? Huh? What if you or Kagami got hurt?”

“There’s no point in dwelling on what could’ve happened when we’re both  _ safe _ . It doesn’t matter—”

“Yes it  _ does _ ! Are you fucking kidding me???”

“This is the reality we live in! People get akumatized every day! A mugger is  _ nothing  _ compared—”

“I can’t believe you’re downplaying the fact that you could’ve been  _ shot— _ ”

“Could’ve, Alya.  _ Could’ve _ . I’m  _ fine _ .”

“Right, because you throwing me against the lockers is totally a sign of you being okay.”

“You’re not the only person I didn’t tell! My parents don’t know anything! If they did, I wouldn’t be here right now!” Marinette yelled. “I kept it a secret for the sake of not stressing anyone out!”

“Do you hear yourself right now??? If it was the other way around you would want me to tell you!” Marinette didn’t refute the statement. “You should’ve stayed home Marinette! This isn’t something you can get over in one night!”

“I’m well aware.” The venom laced in her tone stabbed at Alya’s chest. Marinette pointed at her accusingly. “You shouldn’t even be yelling at  _ me  _ when I’m not the only person in this room who lies!”

Another beat of silence. 

“I’m your best friend. Did you really think I wouldn’t start to notice?” Marinette asked. 

Alya clamped her tongue.  _ You never did before.  _

She could admit her argument was hypocritical. She lost track of how many things she hid from Marinette. But that’s how they’ve always operated.  _ She  _ carried the burden.  _ She  _ was Marinette’s rock. The needs of her friends always went before her own.

But now, Marinette was starting to pay attention. She may not know what Alya lies about, but she was aware of it. Their entire dynamic was off-balance. 

“Guess the conversation we had yesterday was a waste of time.”

“Yeah. Guess so.”

The space between them grew so wide Alya couldn’t see herself crossing over. If she did there would probably be an iron gate keeping her away from Marinette. They were stupid to think they could repair their friendship over one conversation. 

Here they were, on the breaking point. One misstep and everything would come crashing down.

Alya had so much more to say. So much more to  _ ask _ . The last thing she wanted to do was let this go. Marinette could’ve gotten hurt and she would’ve never known. She didn’t even want to go down the darker road of possibilities. 

But, as much as she didn’t want to, she had to stop. They were both on the verge of saying things they would later regret. Alya couldn’t risk it. 

She forced herself to relax and took a step forward. She opened her arms, giving Marinette an out if she needed it. The teen hesitated for a second but ultimately threw herself in Alya’s embrace. While the hug was tense, it was needed.

“I’m just glad you’re okay,” Alya murmured. 

Marinette hugged her tighter. “Me too.”

They separated when the bell rang. 

“See you in class?” Alya asked awkwardly.

Marinette nodded in confirmation and moved to leave, pausing by the door to face Alya one last time.

“About the whole Adrien thing? Forget it, okay? I shouldn’t have mentioned it. It’s hopeless.”

“Marinette—”

“I’m serious, Alya. I need some space from him to think some things over.” She smiled weakly. “Thanks for the help anyway.” With that, Marinette left. 

Alya pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes. She could feel a headache forming. 

“I didn’t think someone as smart as you could be so dense.”

Why couldn’t she have one moment of peace? 

“Were you eavesdropping this entire time?” Alya questioned, glaring at Chloe who had the nerve to look smug.

“Only for the last part. Adrien and Nino were worried and I offered to come looking for you guys. Didn’t expect to run into a mess,” the blonde replied. 

Translation: she also saw Marinette run out of the cafeteria and decided to stick her nose into their business. Adrien, being the nice person he is, probably tried to avoid giving her details but Nino ended up blabbing when Chloe threatened him. 

Alya’s eye twitched. “You’re insufferable.”

“And  _ you’re  _ an oblivious idiot.”

“Excuse me???”

“It’s not my place to spell it out for you. Figure it out on your own.” Chloe said, checking her nails with disinterest. “Can’t believe  _ I  _ see what’s going on and you don’t.”

“Did you seriously follow me just to say that?” Alya snapped. “I’m not in the mood to deal with you right now.”

“I’m  _ trying  _ to be a good friend.”

She had plenty of grievances against Chloe. While the other girl avoided being her usual level of mean recently, she was nowhere  _ near  _ earning the title of a friend. 

Alya couldn’t take it. The anger she pent up during her fight with Marinette boiled over. 

“Friend?  _ Friend _ ? We’re barely acquaintances!” Alya said angrily. “You’ve done nothing to make me consider you a friend.  _ Nothing _ .”

Chloe snarled. “Alix and Nino are my friends!”

“ _ No _ . All you do is use them for your own benefit! You threatened Nino to force him into helping you with your whole ‘nice act’!” 

“I—”

“Don’t even  _ think  _ about mentioning Sabrina or Adrien. You treat Sabrina like a minion and constantly flirt with Adrien, despite how many times he’s told you he’s not interested!” Alya matched Chloe’s glare with twice the ferocity. “Adrien is the only person who’s stood up for you. Quite honestly? You don’t deserve him.”

“Shut.  _ Up _ .” Chloe hissed.

“I’m tired of you acting like I owe you something just because you aren’t insulting me as much! You can’t even give a simple apology!” Alya took a deep breath. “You want to know  _ why  _ I’ll never consider you a friend? Because no matter how you try to say you’ve changed, you’ll always be the bratty, stuck-up bitch everyone knows you are.”

Chloe, for once in her life, was speechless. The words hurt more than a slap to the face.

Seeing the raw sadness in her eyes made Alya slightly regret what she said. However, it didn’t last. Chloe’s sadness vanished as quickly as it came. The same snarky expression she wore masked her true feelings once again.

“I see why you got akumatized. You’re an easy target,” Chloe spat. Alya immediately tensed. “Too bad you’re just as much as a failure as an akuma.” She laughed. “I may be stuck up, but I’m not a coward like you are. You can’t even gather the courage to write a stupid blog post or hold it together in class.” She flicked her ponytail back with a smirk. “How much of a loser do you have to be to allow  _ Kim  _ of all people to mess with—”

Her next words slowly died in her throat. The mask Chloe wore broke. She shakily took a step back away from Alya, her body trembling in terror.

What the hell? Alya looked behind her, thinking Chloe spotted an akuma, but saw nothing. She turned back to the blonde who went pale, stumbling as she took another step back. 

“I-I’m not the real Ladybug. I swear,” she whispered, her eyes blown wide in fear. “I swear I’m not—”

Alya’s heart seized in her chest. 

_ No.  _ No fucking way. 

“Chloe—”

“ _ STAY AWAY FROM ME _ !”

Alya jumped back. Chloe wrapped her arms around herself protectively. Her legs were shaking so much Alya was afraid the other girl would collapse at any second. Lady Wifi did something. Alya didn’t know what or  _ how _ , but she did. Chloe never talked to anyone about the incident. Everyone assumed she got over it.

She never imagined Chloe harbored so much fear towards Lady Wifi. 

_ I  _ **_am_ ** _ you _

Alya ran. 

Chloe fell to her knees with a cry of relief as she left.

Students lingering in the halls watched her dash towards the bathroom. The late bell sounded muffled to Alya’s ears. Her senses were all over the place. She bumped into a couple of people on the way and offered no apologies, too focused on figuring out what the  _ hell  _ Lady Wifi did.

She got her answer once she stepped in front of the bathroom mirror. No wonder why Chloe reacted the way she did.

Unlike other people, Alya and her akuma shared the same face. The only physical difference between them was their eyes. Her mocha brown ones were gone.

Dark purple eyes stared back at her. 

Alya blinked. She rubbed her eyes furiously and checked again. Still purple. 

“ **_I see your friend enjoyed the makeover_ ** .” Lady Wifi appeared in her reflection wearing a feral grin. “ **_Purple is a good color on you_ ** .”

“How the fuck did you do this to me???” Alya hissed.

“ **_Easily. You_ ** **_let_ ** **_me_ ** .” Panic gripped Alya’s lungs. “ **_Dark magic is practically flowing through your veins. That stupid kwami of yours isn’t around to protect you. Any intense negative emotion you emote allows me to do anything I damn well please_ ** .”

“Y-You can’t…” She struggled to speak, feeling disoriented. “You  _ can’t— _ ”

“ **_Oh I certainly can_ ** ,” Lady Wifi giggled maniacally. “ **_God, look at you. Where’s the person who threatened me? Hm? Where’s that girl?_ ** ”

Alya shakily took off her glasses and turned on the sink. She splashed water on her face and scrubbed her eyes in a desperate attempt to turn them back into their normal color. Lady Wifi mocked her the entire time.

“ **_You’re never going to beat me. This is_ ** **_exactly_ ** **_why you’re doomed to fail. Everything I said was right. Hell, that blonde girl told the truth too_ ** .”

“Stop,” Alya begged. “Just  _ stop _ .”

“ **_You’re a coward_ ** .” 

Alya sobbed.

“ **_You can’t even gather the courage to write a stupid blog post or hold it together in class_ ** .”

The draft of her blog post resided in her laptop, untouched. Her panic attack in class showed everyone she wasn’t as strong as she thought she was. She’s  _ weak _ .

“ **_No one wants you_ ** .”

Marinette didn’t trust her.

“ **_No one needs you_ ** .”

Her  _ best friend _ didn’t trust her anymore. Alya let her down.

“ **_You’re disposable_ ** .”

She grabbed her hair and tugged,  _ hard _ , her loud sobs filling the empty silence of the bathroom. 

“ **_I already won. You might as well accept your fate_ ** .”

Alya hated herself for considering. She was so  _ tired _ . Could anyone blame her for wanting to give up? To give in? 

She hated herself, even if the thought lasted for a millisecond, for considering. 

Anyone in her position would want to give in. She couldn’t be blamed in the slightest. Master Fu, the guardian of the miraculouses who swore to protect them with his life, feared the magic tormenting her. 

But Alya, no matter how tired, had to keep fighting. Surrendering wasn’t an option. Giving in to Lady Wifi meant losing to Hawkmoth. It meant putting her friends and family in danger. Alya had to remember that. 

She purposely dug her nails into her scalp, the pain slightly distracting her from the insults echoing in her head. 

_ Lady Wifi doesn’t stand a chance against you.  _

This was  _ her  _ mind. Not the akuma’s. She was the one in control. 

_ You have Trixx and you have me. _

Alya still had people in her corner.

_ You have Trixx. _

She wasn’t alone.

_ You have me. _

She had other people to lean on.

_ “You promise?” _

She made a promise to her sisters. Not to be there just for their bake sale but through everything else. They were the last people Alya wanted to let down. Under no circumstances could she ever leave them behind. 

Unlike her parents, Alya didn’t run away when things got hard.

_ You’re not going to be able to beat her overnight. This is going to take time _

She breathed deeply through her nose and exhaled. Her hands dropped from her hair to her sides. 

“ **_Aw? You remember a couple of sweet words and all of a sudden you’re good to go_ ** ?” Lady Wifi asked condescendingly. 

“They help,” Alya admitted. “It also helps to remember you’re a bigger coward than I could ever be.”

“ **_I’m not the one trembling half to death_ ** ,” the akuma hissed.

The teen shrugged. Her confidence level was low, her words lacking the usual power people expected from her. But they remained sharper than any knife. “I don’t need to see you physically react to know you’re scared.”

“ **_Why you_ ** —”

“You failed. Do you really think Hawkmoth would ever want to see you again?” Lady Wifi bristled. “You didn’t uncover Ladybug’s identity. You didn’t get her miraculous. All you did is humiliate yourself for all of Paris to see.” Alya leaned towards the mirror. “Deep down, you’re afraid to face Hawkmoth again after failing him. Sounds pretty cowardly to me.”

Dark purple eyes shifted back to brown. 

Lady Wifi roared and pounded against the glass. Angry sparks emitted from her body and the lights in the bathroom flickered. Alya stepped back from the mirror, stumbling on her feet as the entire room began to shake. She jumped when the bathroom stalls started to slam rapidly, covering her head when lightbulbs overhead started to explode, sending sparks of light flying everywhere. 

Alya swore she felt a phantom breath on the back of her neck as Lady Wifi fixed her with the most terrifying glare she’s ever seen. 

“ **_You’re_ ** **_dead_ ** .”

The shaking stopped once the bathroom door opened. The lights were dimmer due to the ones that broke, but other than that, everything seemed normal. The chatter of students entering the bathroom snapped Alya back into reality and she quickly washed her face to hide the fact she was crying only seconds ago. She put her glasses back on and speed-walked towards the exit. 

She missed Juleka who only noticed her when Alya made it halfway down the hall. She also missed the cracks left on the mirror Lady Wifi occupied, leaving the other students in the bathroom confused as to what happened. Only one person spotted Alya in front of it, which didn’t mean much to any of them.

Except for Juleka who watched Alya walk away until she disappeared with a mixture of suspicion and worry.

Alya got the longest lecture in  _ history  _ from Ms. Mendeleiev for being late. She couldn’t find the energy to defend herself. For once all Alya wanted to do was sit through one of Ms. Mendeleiev’s excruciatingly long lectures and forget the events of the day never happened. Nino, thankfully, didn’t press for answers when she sat down in her seat. He slid her the extra papers of notes he took for her, littered with doodles and comments complaining about how boring science was. 

She wrote a note on her phone to save a few brownies for Nino to pay him back. Ella and Etta probably wouldn’t mind.

Marinette ended up switching seats with Rose during their last class. She appreciated Rose for not acting awkward and trying to reassure her nothing was wrong, though they both knew it was far from the truth. The combined bubbly energy of Nino, Adrien, and Rose managed to keep Alya distracted from how shitty she felt.

Unfortunately, not enough to miss Chloe sending her cautious looks during class. Or Marinette’s gaze burning holes in the back of her head. Alya almost cried in relief when the final bell rang dismissing them. 

Nino ran down to meet Luka as soon as they left the school building. The taller teen’s face lit up, matching Nino’s enthusiasm with ease. The group Alya mentioned earlier—Marinette, Rose, Mylene, Alix, Ivan, and Juleka surrounded them. Chloe kept her distance walking past Alya to stand with the rest of the group. Judging by how flustered Luka and Nino grew, they were being teased by everyone. 

Marinette stopped when she noticed someone, standing on the tips of her toes to look past Luka. She immediately ran across the street, colliding with Kagami. She, much to Alya’s surprise, seemed confused by the sudden action. From what Marinette told her about what happened last night, Kagami wouldn’t have hesitated to return the hug like she was doing now. The more Alya thought back to their conversation, the more details started to make less sense. If Chat Noir was the one who saved them, Adrien would’ve acted a little different when seeing Marinette. He didn’t seem concerned at all. Another thing Alya didn’t understand: shouldn’t Kagami be the more worried one? Marinette was the one held at gunpoint. Wouldn’t she—

A warm hand on her shoulder stopped Alya before her thoughts could spiral any further. 

“Is everything okay?” Adrien asked hesitantly. “You’ve kinda been off since you went to look for Marinette.”

Alya’s eyes were still locked on Marinette and Kagami. The other girl finally returned the hug, patting Marinette’s back awkwardly. She forced herself to look away, afraid of overthinking the interaction. Maybe she was just being paranoid. “Let’s just say I took Miss Bustier’s advice about being honest a bit too far.”

Adrien didn’t ask her to elaborate. They waved goodbye when Nino left with the group, beaming when Luka said he could bike him to the house. The rest of them walked with Juleka and Rose leading them, Marinette practically glued to Kagami’s side. 

“You don’t have to do this if you’re not feeling up to it.” Alya almost missed the words from how quiet they were. “My father isn’t the easiest person to deal with. I don’t want to put any more stress on you—” 

“Adrien, there’s no way I’m ditching you,” Alya said firmly. “Why would I pass on the opportunity to see  _ the  _ Gabriel Agreste pop a fuse?” Adrien snorted, making Alya smile. “Besides… I could use a distraction right now. I’d rather be with a friend than alone at home.”

Adrien smirked slightly. “You mean project partner?”

“Right! Almost forgot my cover!” Alya gasped dramatically. “No friends in sight. Only two acquaintances forced to work together. Obviously, we’re miserable.”

“Totally miserable.”

“Completely.”

They kept up the act for a good minute until they inevitably burst into giggles. Alya instantly felt lighter. Adrien always managed to pick up her mood without having to do much. Just being in his presence was enough to make Alya feel at ease.

A tiny part of her brain liked to think Adrien felt the same around her. 

They composed themselves when Nathalie and Adrien’s bodyguard walked out of the car once they parked. Alya straightened up when the older woman glared at her. 

“Adrien, we need to get going. Say goodbye to your friend—”

“Hold it, Mother Gothel.” Adrien hid his laugh behind a cough. Nathalie’s eye twitched irritably at the interruption. “Adrien and I have a project to work on.”

“I thought you already finished that?” Nathalie pointedly ignored Alya and waited for Adrien to clarify. 

“We have to redo it. The whole class does,” he replied.

Alya put herself back in Nathalie’s view. “Due to Adrien’s new arrangement, it only makes sense if I come over to work on the project.”

“Absolutely not,” Nathalie denied. “Adrien isn’t allowed to have any friends over.”

“Not a friend: project partner,” Alya corrected. 

“I already said no,” Nathalie emphasized.

Alya tilted her head, pretending to be confused. “I’m sorry, I forgot you’re only an assistant.” Nathalie grit her teeth angrily, trying not to say anything unprofessional. “Shouldn’t Mr. Agreste be the one to decide if I’m allowed over?”

“He would agree—”

“Are you a mind reader? How do you know that for sure?”

Nathalie looked ready to strangle her. “Mr. Agreste trusts my judgment. My word is  _ final _ . Adrien, let’s go. Stop playing around.”

Alya wrapped her arms around one of Adrien’s. Not that he was going anywhere to begin with. He would’ve stepped in if he thought Alya went too far. He stayed quiet and she took that as a sign to keep going. “We’re not moving until you get your boss on the phone and ask what he thinks. I don’t think he would be too happy about hearing his assistant jeopardizing his son’s education.” All of them, including Adrien, were shocked by her boldness. Nathalie didn’t scare her in the slightest. She cared for Adrien, Alya could tell. That didn’t mean she agreed with the way Nathalie never took Adrien’s side on anything. 

“Alya—”

“Shhh, trust me.”

He did.

Nathalie took several deep breaths and turned away, taking her phone out of her pocket. Alya smiled victoriously as Nathalie grew more frustrated during the phone call.

As Alya predicted, Mr. Agreste caved. 

The car ride there lessened the tense atmosphere. Alya and Adrien talked quietly, in their own little world. Nathalie ignored them and took the time to calm herself down. It didn’t take long to get to the Agreste household.

“I know this isn’t your usual environment, but don’t waste our time walking around like this is some museum,” Nathalie said as they approached the mansion. Adrien immediately went to defend her but Alya stopped him

“Aw? No gift shop?” she asked innocently.

Adrien’s bodyguard pushed Nathalie to keep walking before she could do anything rash. 

Once they walked inside, Alya was instantly hit with a wave of unwelcomeness. Her amusement completely vanished. Mr. Agreste stood in the main foyer waiting for them, his presence putting everyone on edge. His arms were crossed behind his back with a stern look planted on his face. He towered over everyone in the room, making Alya feel extremely small. His entire demeanor oozed power. Alya gulped nervously.

Talking to him through a screen was one thing. Seeing him in person was a completely different experience.

She wouldn’t go as far as to say she was scared. Intimidation wise on the other hand? Alya couldn’t hide her discomfort when he spotted her. Mr. Agreste already held a grudge against her because of the car incident—a complete accident. She definitely made things worse for herself by pissing Nathalie off. For Adrien’s sake, Alya didn’t want the man to completely hate her. She would stay as civil as she could. 

Adrien shook slightly beside her. Alya reached for his hand and held it gently.

“I thought you already completed this project,” Mr. Agreste said with a raised eyebrow, clearly annoyed.

“Our teacher wants us to redo it,” Adrien explained. “It’ll only take us a week to work.”

“I don’t understand why  _ she  _ has to be here.” Alya winced at his harsh tone. “The internet exists, does it not? You could easily call or text.” Mr. Agreste narrowed his eyes. “Nathalie said nothing wrong. You should’ve listened. I don’t appreciate theatrics. You were home five minutes later because of them.”

Well, so much for being civil. He hated Alya. The disdain in his voice was clearly directed at her. 

Adrien took a step forward, shielding Alya from view. “Having my partner here will help get the project done faster. I want her here, father. If I didn’t agree with the ‘theatrics’ I would’ve been home sooner. I didn’t agree with what Nathalie said either. I understand you’re still mad, but this is  _ my  _ education. Don’t you want me to do well?” 

Alya silently cheered. Adrien didn’t waver once. His dad’s professional demeanor cracked slightly, shocked by the defiance. Nathalie stepped forward.

“Sir, I tried to reason—”

She shut her mouth when Mr. Agreste raised his hand. “Very well. I’ll allow this for a week. Nathalie will be checking in every hour.”

Adrien nodded, giving a quiet thank you. He tugged Alya along, leading her to his bedroom. 

“Young lady.” They paused. Alya turned around, met with a glare. 

“Don’t derail my son.”

His words clearly held a threat. Talking to anyone else Alya would’ve fired back without hesitation. With Mr. Agreste, all her courage suddenly vanished. She couldn’t keep her eyes locked with his. He made her feel nervous on a level she didn’t know she  _ could  _ feel. His entire demeanor felt off. 

He  _ made  _ her feel off. Alya didn’t understand why.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” she replied with a strained smile. She didn’t find the confidence to speak again until they made it to the second floor. “My name is Alya, by the way. Thanks for the warm welcome.”

In the safety of Adrien’s room, the teens finally dropped their guard. 

“I stood up to my dad,” Adrien whispered in disbelief. “I stood up to my dad and he  _ listened _ .”

“Hell yeah you did! Holy shit.” Alya put a hand against her chest. “I can’t tell who wants to kill me more—Nathalie or your dad.” 

“Definitely Nathalie.”

“Really???”

“Out of the two, she would hide the body.”

“ _ Adrien— _ ”

“I’m joking. Sort of.” She slapped his shoulder lightly. 

“Nathalie does mean well. She only does what she thinks is best for me,” Adrien said softly. 

“You’re allowed to disagree with her though,” Alya pointed out. “She can still be wrong.”

“I’m starting to see that now,” Adrien agreed. “I just don’t want her to think I hate her or something.”

Alya squeezed his hand reassuringly—they never stopped holding hands. “A disagreement is a disagreement. I don’t think you could do anything to make her think you hate her. She just needs to get used to the fact you’re not a little kid. You get to decide what you want. Nathalie can’t keep making decisions on your behalf.” 

Adrien squeezed her hand back. “Thank you, Alya. Seriously. It’s not that big of a deal but I wouldn’t have been able to do this without you.”

“It’s a huge deal. Your dad and Nathalie need to learn to listen to what you want.” She smiled gently. “You know I’m always here for you.” 

They drew closer to each other. “Yeah, I know. I’m pretty lucky.”

Neither of them said anything else. It didn’t happen often, but they sometimes found themselves in silence with nothing left to say. It wasn’t uncomfortable by any means—it left Alya feeling dazed being under Adrien’s gaze. They never talked about it or what it meant. Neither of them really knew what it meant to begin with. 

Alya didn’t hate it, though. She didn’t hate doing anything with Adrien.

They eventually stopped holding hands and gave each other a little more space. Alya covered her face to hide her red face. Adrien rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, pink lightly dusting his cheeks.

Adrien cleared his throat. “So, the project.”

“About that…” 

“You—”

“All I’m saying is we don’t have to get started right away. We have plenty of things we can do beforehand,” Alya defended. “It’s been a long day! It wouldn’t be a crime to chill out.”

Adrien crossed his arms. “You’re a terrible influence.”

“I’ve been told.”

“I should disagree and get to work.”

“Mhm, understandable.”

“..... Just go pick a DVD. You’ve been eyeing them since we walked in.” 

Alya grinned. She skipped towards the stairs that led to the huge shelves of movies and tv shows in the room. Adrien rolled his eyes fondly when he heard her squeal. 

She took a moment to observe the room. It was a teenager’s dream: a rock wall, foosball table, skate ramps, a basketball hoop, arcade games, a huge TV. Everything fun all found in one place. Alya frowned watching Adrien turn on the TV, coming to a realization. Yeah, this was a big room of fun.

Big and lonely.

Someone could have everything they ever wanted. That didn’t mean they would be happy. No wonder why Adrien wanted to go to public school. The family he did have barely gave him the time of day.

_ Chloe isn’t the best person, but I’ve known her since we were kids. She can be nice. _

And when they weren’t around, Adrien had Chloe. Which is why he went to her on his first day of school. She was the only real friend he had before anyone else. 

Alya sighed and rested her forehead against the shelf she was browsing. She never thought she would ever have to do this, but she owed Chloe an apology. Adrien stood by her for a reason. It was wrong of her to say the other teen didn’t deserve him.

To be honest, no one did. Especially not her. At least Chloe wasn’t lying to him.

A sudden unpleasant smell emerged from under one of the shelves. Alya’s nose wrinkled in disgust. She stood up straight and walked towards the source. Her eyes landed on an object poking out from under the farthest shelf and Alya bent down to get a better look. 

A block of cheese? 

The smell grew worse and Alya gagged. Out of all things it could’ve been: cheese? Did Adrien drop it accidentally while he was up here? Hesitantly, Alya reached forward to grab it and throw it away. She pulled her hand back with a yelp when a small creature came flying out of nowhere. The cheese disappeared along with it. Her jaw dropped. Whatever she saw was too big to be a bug. In fact, it looked closer to Trixx’s size. It moved too fast for Alya to get a good look at any features. Except for one:

Glowing green eyes. A very similar pair to a certain masked hero.

A kwami. It had to be. The cheese must be what helps it recharge—for Trixx Alya learned any fruit would do, but he loved blueberries the most. It made more sense than Adrien somehow dropping a random piece of cheese in his room. 

**Chat Noir & Adrien: Two sides of the same coin**

**Need hugs. a shit ton of them**

**His best friend admits to having a crush on CN. his reaction speaks for itself**

**Stupid green eyes. EXTREMELY STUPID**

**Mischievous ass mfs**

**The ring. They have the same exact ring**

**KWAMI SPOTTED!!! A cat kwami? I think? With green eyes identical to Chat Noir’s. May ot may not hate me for calling them a bug**

  
  


“Are you okay?” Adrien called.

“I’m good. Thought I saw a bug.” Multiple DVDs fell from the shelf above and hit her head. Alya rubbed the spots they hit and glared up, having a feeling the unknown kwami was responsible. She grumbled and picked up the DVDs, her eyes bulging out of her head reading the covers. 

“You have all four seasons of My Hero Academia and didn’t say anything!?!?!? You’re on my hit list Agreste!”

They ended up watching most of the first season. Nathalie checked in a few times and they were quick to pretend like they were working. When she left they immediately went back to watching and getting into debates about the characters. 

“I don’t care if Izuku, Bakugou, and Todoroki are the ‘main trio’—realistically speaking, their quirks aren’t that interesting!”

“Bakugou can turn himself into a  _ bomb  _ and you’re saying that’s not cool???”

“Yes, it’s basic! You know who has an interesting quirk? Sero.”

“You mean discount Spider-Man?”

Adrien gasped in shock. “Don’t disrespect him like that???”

“Okay, can we at  _ least  _ agree Endeavor deserves nothing good in life?”

“Absolutely.”

The topic of the project came up later on when they ran out of points to make about the show. Ironically, they were reminded watching All Might, the top hero, fight and protect the rest of the characters. They situated themselves on the couch and faced one another instead of the TV.

Adrien stuck his pinky out. Their promise rang unspoken in the air.

_ No more lies. _

Alya linked her pinky with his. 

“Do you remember Majestia’s debut?” he asked.

“She rescued an entire school bus of kids when a bridge collapsed,” Alya recalled with a smile. It dropped soon after. “She got a lot of support, but the news called her dangerous.”

“She used to be seen as a threat. People still speak out against her and say we shouldn’t trust her.” He looked up at the ceiling. “Even when the entire world was against her, she didn’t change. She didn’t try to conform to what people wanted her to be. She lived by her own rules.” His voice went quiet. “I envied her for a long time. She had the courage I lacked. Sometimes—” he laughed a little, “—I waited until my parents were asleep to make a wish on the stars. My wish never changed: I asked for flight each time. I wanted to be as happy and free as Majestia was when she flew around.” He paused. “I still do.”

Alya understood. More than she did before. Why Chat Noir meant a lot to Adrien. Why he took the job of protecting Paris so seriously. 

He was free. Free to roam Paris and do whatever he wanted. No one could tell him what to do or who to be except him. Being behind a mask gave Adrien a chance to let go. It made him happy. Helping people and beating bad guys: it’s what he lived for.

It’s why he was willing to risk anything—he refused to take a break even after getting  _ shot _ . He genuinely cared about everyone. His big heart made him an amazing hero. Master Fu changed Adrien’s life in more ways than one by giving him a miraculous. Alya disagreed with the older man a lot, but he made the right choice. She couldn’t imagine anyone else as Chat Noir.

It made her feel more guilty about what she knew.

“Majestia has always been strong. An entire city depends on her and she never lets them down. She’s dependable.” Adrien looked down from the ceiling. “For as long as I can remember I’ve had people depending on me. My younger sisters especially.” She focused on their linked pinkies to distract from the tears forming in her eyes.“I want to be strong like Majestia. I try to be, but….” her mind went back to her fights with Chloe and Marinette. The fight with Lady Wifi in the bathroom. The akuma was only getting stronger. How much time before her power became too much for Alya to handle? “I’m not. I never have been, and I don’t think I ever will be.”

Adrien unlinked his pinky and held Alya’s hand instead. She let him without complaint. 

“You don’t have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders to be strong,” he reassured with a watery smile.

Alya returned it. “You don’t need flight to be free.” 

Miss Bustier would be proud.

They talked quietly for the next few minutes, too emotionally drained to continue with their previous conversation. They missed Nathalie coming in to see their progress. The woman glared, not liking how close they were. Or the fond look on Adrien’s face as he watched Alya.

She made sure to close the door without making a sound. 

“I don’t want to end today on a sad note. It’s been emotional enough,” Alya declared. She jumped up, looking around the room for something they could do. Her eyes settled on the piano. 

“I thought you would want to keep watching My Hero Academia. The piano isn’t exactly something I see as fun,” Adrien noted. 

She sat on the piano bench and lifted the cover to reveal the keys. She brushed over them gently. “A good friend told me music is a great way to get your mind off of certain things.” Not surprisingly, Chat Noir was that friend. 

A light pink blush dusted Adrien’s cheeks. Alya pretended not to notice. 

“Do you know how to play?” he asked. 

“I can play Hot Cross Buns.” Alya cracked her knuckles and started to play. “Wait—damn it. How do I mess up three keys??” She glared at the piano as if it offended her personally. Adrien chuckled. “I lied. I can’t play the piano at all.”

“Here, this is how you play it.” Adrien placed his hand over Alya’s and guided her towards the right keys. The simple tune echoed throughout the room. 

“Did you start playing the piano because of your dad?”

“No, my mom encouraged me to try. The piano was always her favorite instrument. She used to play songs for us all the time. My father wanted me to keep practicing the piano after she passed. I think it’s his way of keeping her memory alive, not that he would ever admit it.” 

Alya chose her next words carefully. “Have you ever played for yourself?”

The music stopped. 

She got up and grabbed his shoulders, coaxing him to take her spot on the bench. He looked unsure, his fingers hovering in the air nervously. Alya stood behind him and put her hands over his, as he just did for her, guiding him to the keys. They made eye contact, both growing slightly flustered from their close proximity. 

“Play what feels right,” Alya whispered. 

She stepped back. Adrien closed his eyes and took a calming breath. 

He hit the first note. And the next. And then the next. 

Alya rested her arms on the piano and watched, sunlight reflecting through the windows acting as a spotlight on him. 

Adrien was glowing.

Alya never saw him so peaceful before. His fingers flew across the piano with ease, sunlight dancing through his fingers. The song captivated her, tugging at her heartstrings in all sorts of ways. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to get lost in the music. 

Only by a millisecond did she miss Adrien’s eyes open to focus on her, the melody of the song growing lighter. 

She clapped loudly when Adrien finished, cheering at the top of her lungs. He blushed in embarrassment.

“That was…. wow.” Alya couldn’t find the words. “You’re amazing.”

“I’ve never played without following sheet music,” Adrien said in awe. He stared at his hands, shocked by his own skills. 

“What were you thinking about?” Alya asked. 

He didn’t answer right away. When he figured out an answer his eyes locked with hers. The intensity of his gaze made Alya’s face grow warm.

“Something precious to me.” 

Adrien walked Alya out when the time came for her to go home. Luckily Nathalie and Mr. Agreste were nowhere to be seen when they went downstairs. Only Adrien’s bodyguard stayed behind to walk with them. 

“Are you sure you’ll be okay walking home by yourself?” Adrien repeated for the third time.

“I’ll be fine,” Alya assured. “I don’t live too far from here. I doubt your dad would be happy giving me a ride home anyway.” The blonde still seemed hesitant. “I’ll text you, don’t worry.”

She pulled him into a hug. Adrien returned it eagerly. Alya waved goodbye and began her journey home. A bush rustling in the distance stopped her. Nothing emerged from it. She watched it for another minute before sighing. It’s been a long day and she needed to sleep. 

It was probably nothing. 

Alya continued her walk home, pretending to be oblivious to Chat Noir watching over her as she did. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you enjoyed the chapter! kudos/comments are greatly appreciated!!!
> 
> twitter: @IR8NHEART


	11. eleven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi everyone! i just wanted to say thank you for all the support on this fic so far! alyadrien is one of my favorite fanon pairings and i really wanted to write a fic for them. i hope you're enjoying the story as much as i'm enjoying writing it! i also wanted to apologize for this very late update. i am busy with school so my plan to update once a week kinda got interrupted. but i will try to do my best to get chapters out when i can! i hope this 15k word chapter makes up for the wait :) 
> 
> thank you again & i hope you enjoy!
> 
> note: this chapter covers some events of 3x10 "Oni-Chan", but altered for this fics storyline
> 
> tw // 
> 
> violence, self-harm (not completely but still want everyone to be aware), intrusive thoughts, mentions of blood

Juggling a school project while simultaneously dealing with an akuma trying to take over her mind and uncovering Hawkmoth’s identity surprisingly wasn’t as overwhelming as Alya initially thought. 

Mostly because Lady Wifi remained dormant. 

She left Alya alone. No tricks, no harsh words, nothing. It almost felt like the akuma was gone for good, but the lingering presence of dark magic proved otherwise. While not having to deal with Lady Wifi helped Alya breathe a little easier, the sudden silence from the akuma made her uneasy. If anything, now would be the time she expected Lady Wifi to take action. She only grew stronger day by day. Why stop now? 

Trixx used extra magic as a precaution in case Lady Wifi had something up her sleeve. Chat Noir also made an extra effort to be there for her when he found out. Alya, though very touched, scolded him for overexerting himself taking down akumas for her sake. Her stance on the topic quickly changed when Chat Noir faced her with a burning intensity in his eyes.

“I’ve been by your side since this all started. I’m not stopping now. I don’t care what it takes.”

How the hell could she scold him after that?

Alya threw her blanket over her head to hide her flustered state, replying to him with a quiet “okay.” She couldn’t comprehend how far Chat Noir was willing and continued to go for her. How far  _ Adrien  _ was willing to go. 

She never saw herself as important. Her older sister left and never looked back. Her parents were barely around, treating her like a second thought. It made Alya feel hollow. The constant neglectance from the people who were supposed to care about her the most. If her own family didn’t care enough to be around, who else would? 

The thought of potentially being abandoned by her friends next terrified her. Living a life alone in constant silence, no one looking out for her.

Alya couldn’t handle it. Losing anyone else wasn’t an option. 

It’s why she tried so hard. She worked to be what everyone needed her to be: a supportive friend. A reliable one that never complained, never had bad days. She put others before herself, pushing down her personal feelings despite the growing mental toll. 

Trying to depend on others would only push them away. Her dad said it himself.

_ Me, Marlena, and Nora. Life used to be so easy. _

Alya made things hard. A burden that dragged her parents down. Her mom never let her forget that. In her eyes, Alya would always be a hindrance. Nothing she did ever pleased her. A critic would be made one way or another. 

So, despite it sounding impossible, Alya did her best to be not just a supportive friend, but a perfect one. Hiding her flaws behind a mask of pure confidence. 

But Chat Noir saw right through her. He saw the worst sides of her and  _ stayed _ . She never had to pretend around him. 

He made her feel important. Someone worth fighting for. 

So, she didn’t reprimand him any further. Alya let him come without complaint, always making sure her first aid kit was nearby in case he needed it. 

The sudden inactivity from Lady Wifi slowly grew less important. Alya knew she should be more cautious, especially after the last threat she received, but her mind was set on other things. For now, the akuma could wait. Continuing her search for Hawkmoth became a priority. 

Surprisingly, her list of suspects dwindled faster than she anticipated. 

Mr. Damocles burst into tears during one of the school’s weekly akumatization safety assemblies, going on about how brave Ladybug and Chat Noir were for continuing to fight for them. The meeting cut short when he started to cry so much to the point he couldn’t form words. Miss Bustier had to escort him off stage. Mr. Bourgeois, the mayor, cowered in fear on live television during an interview when a dog passing by barked at him. Not an angry bark—the dog was as harmless as a fly. The owner tried to assure him their dog meant no harm but only ended up increasing the mayor’s frightened state. Coincidentally, Mr. Raincomprix attempted to arrest a kid “breaking the speed limit” on their bicycle in the background of that interview. 

Definitely  _ not  _ Hawkmoth behavior in the slightest. Sure, they could be pretending, but Alya seriously doubted it. She crossed their names off the list with a frustrated sigh. Only two people remained, one of them already being ruled out. Alya’s pen hovered over Mr. Agreste’s name. She already admitted his placement on the list was a result of her grudge against him. Like she said: what would a fashion designer want with a miraculous in the first place? 

Still, her pen didn’t move. 

Alya huffed and folded the list back up, his name remaining uncrossed. 

She shifted her focus on Alec, going through every story he covered on the heroes of Paris. Sadly, nothing came up. He was the spunky and energetic reporter everyone knew him as in every video came across. No matter how many times she replayed each clip, no suspicious behavior or clues appeared. Alya came close to dropping her entire investigation entirely. 

Until a new broadcast aired. 

It covered three recent akumatization incidents—Darkblade, Guitar Villain, and Dark Cupid. The Darkblade incident happened during a fencing club meeting. Alya watched from the sidelines. Even with his father’s increased strict rules, he still considered fencing too important to miss. She cheered on Kagami who knocked Adrien for the fourth time in a row, grinning cheekily when Adrien playfully glared at her. Marinette was also there, not as loud as Alya, but smiled whenever Kagami scored a point. 

The akuma caught everyone by surprise. All except Alya who felt the familiar pull of dark energy. 

One of the club members stumbled upon an article regarding Mr. D'Argencourt perceiving him in an extremely negative light. They asked him about it, their tone clearly judgemental, and the atmosphere in the room completely shifted. He didn’t try to stop the akuma from landing when it did. 

Adrien disappeared the minute Mr. D’Argencourt was akumatized, quickly coming back as Chat Noir to face him. Ladybug arrived a few seconds after. Alya lost track of how many times she almost got her head taken off by one of Darkblade’s minions. Kagami took several of them down saving Alya’s life more than once.

Oddly enough, it was a great bonding experience for them.

Alya honestly didn’t remember what happened with Dark Cupid. The last memory she had was pushing Marinette out of the way before a bow hit her. Chat Noir refused to talk about it when Alya asked during his visit. His tense posture told her something definitely happened, but she let it go. 

Everyone went out of their way to avoid Kim the next day at school. He sat alone in all his classes, ate lunch by himself, kept his head down. It was a complete 180 from his usual loud and abrasive nature. Alya, despite their extremely rocky relationship, felt bad for him. She knew what it was like. The wary stares and sly remarks were nothing new to her.

That didn’t mean Alya wanted to go out of her way to defend Kim. But if someone made an unnecessary comment around her and she happened to overhear? She put them in their place. 

Jagged Stone ended up akumatized during his concert. The same one Nino and Luka went to on their first date. Alya nearly tore her hair out from stress waiting to hear from them. Various blurry clips from the concert venue flooded the internet and she couldn’t stop herself from watching them. The entire place was wrecked, the sound of Guitar Villain’s evil laughter and people screaming flooding all the videos. 

Alya had to put her phone down when her hands started to shake. 

When Nino finally called her back he didn’t say much considering how exhausted he was. Alya nearly knocked him over when she threw her arms around him the next morning. She buried her face in his chest and held him as close as possible. Nino didn’t oppose, hugging her back just as tightly. 

“It was like a scene in an action movie,” Nino ranted excitedly on their walk to school, his eyes lighting up. “I mean, I thought we were goners for a second—but the  _ adrenaline _ . The crowd went absolutely berserk. Some people were hit by his guitar ray and were getting in the way of others trying to escape. Then the dragon—did I mention the dude had a  _ fucking dragon _ —flew over the crowd and all hell broke loose.”

Alya grabbed his hand, the videos she viewed replaying in her head. She couldn’t imagine what Nino and Luka felt actually  _ being there _ .

“When Luka and I tried moving through the crowd, some jerk pushed him down,” Nino continued with a frown. “He twisted his ankle from the fall. Trying to leave wasn’t getting us anywhere so I helped him up and found a place for us to hide while Ladybug and Chat Noir took care of the akuma.” A shy smile formed on his face. “Luka kissed my cheek and said I was his hero.  _ Me _ ,” Nino sighed dreamily. “So, ironically, an akuma helped me for once. I have a boyfriend!” 

Alya was quick to chant ‘I told you so’ multiple times to get on his nerves. Adrien and Marinette joined in on the teasing when they heard the news. They were all extremely happy for him and, more importantly, relieved he and Luka were okay. 

Alya selfishly took advantage of his happiness to avoid talking about the turmoil within their friend group. Nino didn’t deserve to be boggled down with her problems just when something good happened for him. He did enough for her already. 

To anyone else, it appeared Alya and Marinette never argued. The only ones aware of the lingering tension was them. Their banter felt forced, their laughs empty. Alya hated every second of it. She hated how they were forced to keep doing this with the current fragility of their friendship.

Most of all, she hated that it was her fault. 

She pushed Marinette. She was the one who kept lying. They somewhat made up and Alya pushed them back to square one with a single conversation. 

To top things off, Chloe avoided her like the plague. Something else Alya fucked up. The blonde managed to avoid any attempt she made to apologize. Chloe has said a fair share of mean remarks and took things way too far several times. But Alya doing the same thing back just made her feel awful. She never wanted to sink to Chloe’s level of cruelty. 

Throwing herself into uncovering the identity of Hawkmoth only slightly distracted her. The guilt of her actions refused to let her rest. 

_ You’re a coward _

It stung that Lady Wifi was right.

Back to the akuma attacks, Alec shockingly called out Ladybug and Chat Noir for their “reckless behavior” in handling the situations during the broadcast. The disdain in his voice was clear. He moved up from Alya’s suspect list to his own sticky note resting on the board she put together trying to figure everything out. 

Her other sticky notes were saved for the project. Not for academic purposes—Adrien liked making mini-origami figures out of them. She caught him in the middle of making a swan when they were supposed to be decorating their poster. He flushed and apologized for getting distracted, but Alya just slid the pad of sticky notes closer to him with an amused smirk. Several neon-colored hearts, swans, stars, and diamonds were scattered across her desk—all courtesy of Adrien. 

“This is  _ impossible _ .” She pouted when Adrien laughed. One day Alya grew curious about the mini-origami and asked him to teach her. 

He put down the diamond he finished and scooted closer to her on the couch. Adrien placed his hands over hers and explained the process, guiding her through folding the sticky note correctly. 

“See? It’s not that hard,” he said with a soft smile, holding up the small origami heart they made. 

“Says the professional,” Alya teased lightly. Adrien rolled his eyes and bumped his shoulder against hers, reaching for another sticky note.

Alya, after several failed attempts, made a star on her own. Compared to the ones Adrien made it wasn’t as impressive. The sides were uneven and it looked more like a deformed sphere than a star. 

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered, looking at it sadly.

“Are you apologizing to a piece of paper?” Adrien asked in amusement.

Alya showed him her failed origami star attempt. “ _ Look at it _ . I ruined its career as a star before it could even start!” She threw herself back on the couch dramatically, kicking Adrien when he snorted at her antics. The star started to feel like a heavyweight in her hand the more she stared at it. “And I wanted it to be perfect… for you.” Her face flushed as soon as the words left her mouth. She avoided Adrien’s eyes, missing the slight red hue on his cheeks. “You’ve made me so many and I can’t even make one!”

“That’s where your wrong,” Adrien argued. He gently coaxed Alya to let go of the star. Cradling it in his hands as if it were a precious jewel, Adrien stood and walked over to place it on his desk. Alya watched him in shock. Her heart stuttered when he turned around with the fondest expression on his face. 

“You made it. That already makes it perfect.”

He said it so casually it drove Alya insane. There were times where Adrien hesitated to speak, afraid he would say something wrong. Other times, like this moment, whatever he said was spoken like a fact. 

Lately, with Alya, Adrien rarely hesitated. 

“You’re such a dork,” she eventually replied, her voice slightly strained. 

“I’m just telling the truth,” he said innocently. 

Alya grabbed another sticky note and waved it fiercely. “The next star I make is gonna be perfect. Just you wait.”

“Pretty sure I already have the perfect one.”

“....Where’s the trash can?”

“Why would you need— Alya  _ no _ . Put it down!”

Unknown to them, Nathalie watched with a glare as Adrien chased Alya around the room trying to get the first star she made back. She squealed when he caught her, laughing loudly when he started to swing her around. 

Most of the time they spent together working on the project consisted more of goofing around than actually working. There were several new things Alya learned about Adrien besides his love for origami. 

His favorite color? Red.

“Ladybug red?” Alya teased with a smirk, giggling when Adrien sputtered and hid his flustered state behind his hands with an embarrassed groan. He quickly changed his answer to yellow. 

Favorite food? Chouquettes. Hobbies? Playing video games, listening to music (he’s a big Jagged Stone fan), watching anime, reading—specifically classic novels.

They ended up in a heated debate over Pride and Prejudice when Alya asked if he had any favorites. Adrien angrily pouted in silence for five minutes when she called the novel a snoozefest. Alya did the same when he said The Outsiders was overrated. 

“Are we seriously fighting about novels right now?” 

“Yep.”

They looked at each other and laughed, unable to keep their faux anger up. The decision to keep their literary feud between them was unanimous. Nino would never let them hear the end of it if he found out. 

Alya never expected to have so much in common with Adrien. While she was close with Marinette and Nino, they didn’t share a lot of the same interests. Adrien is the first person Alya has ever been able to talk about all things she was genuinely passionate about. 

With every fact she learned about Adrien, he learned one about her in return.

Her favorite color? Orange. Favorite Food? Coffee.

“Coffee is a drink,” Adrien said, exasperated. 

“A drink that makes up 90% of my diet. Moving on!”

Hobbies? Writing, reading—comics, classic novels, news posts, really anything she could get her hands on, and watching any type of media (movies, anime, tv shows). 

They also talked about the not-so-fun stuff. Miss Bustier did tell everyone to be honest. Once they started, it was hard to stop.

Adrien opened up about his fears of disappointing his father. How much pressure he was under trying to be perfect. How lonely he felt. How much he missed his mom.

Alya talked about her parents. How much she missed the way her family used to be. The pressure she felt not only to be the perfect daughter, but the perfect sister. 

“You’re the first person I’ve ever told any of this to,” Adrien admitted. 

Alya looked up from the poster. Pens and highlighters were scattered across the table they were working on. Adrien insisted on using all the highlighter colors, giving Alya his best puppy dog eyes when she claimed it would look tacky. She grabbed a red highlighter with an annoyed huff, unable to say no. “Not even Nino knows?”

He shook his head. Alya looked back down, biting her lip nervously. 

“Marinette doesn’t know about any of this either,” she murmured. 

“Do you think we’re bad friends?” Adrien asked quietly. “We’re constantly lying to them.”

“No,” Alya decided. “Everyone lies. Even if we don’t tell them everything now doesn’t mean we’ll never tell them.” She hesitated for a moment before reaching for his hand, squeezing it reassuringly. “It’s just easy with you.”

His lips parted slightly in surprise. Alya swore his eyes glimmered. Adrien squeezed her hand back with a shy smile.

The best part of her days were with Adrien. There was no denying it. Alya found herself dreading going home, more so now that her dad was there.

It didn’t feel real. 

He waited up for her to come home from Adrien’s house and asked about her day. Alya kept her answers short. Her dad didn’t mind, filling up the silence talking about his day at work. He made several attempts to cook dinner but failed. Alya had to ban him from the kitchen when he managed to set a pot of water on fire. The twins laughed their heads off as Alya reprimanded him. He ordered pizza from her favorite place as an apology. They all sat at the table and ate together, making non-stop jokes about the incident. 

It didn’t dawn on Alya until later it was the first time she held a civil conversation with her dad in a long time. 

She wanted to believe this would last. She really did. But she couldn’t let herself fall into the trap of thinking their family stood a chance of going back to the way it was. Her mom was even more flaky than usual. When she came home, everyone was already asleep and she left right before they woke up. Not that Alya had a problem with it. Running into her mom would only lead to a lecture she didn’t want to hear.

Part of her was grateful her dad was at least trying to make up for his mistakes. Maybe her dad would surprise her and stay. As much as she wanted to, Alya couldn’t completely diminish the small hope she had. 

The next time when her dad asked her about her day, Alya opened up just a little bit more. 

Things were finally starting to look up for her. Lady Wifi minded her business, her home life wasn’t as unbearable, her Hawkmoth investigation finally had a lead, and besides everything with Marinette and Chloe, her friendships were stronger than ever. Alya couldn’t remember the last time her life genuinely felt… normal. 

But, of course, nothing good in her life lasted forever. 

She put down her phone right when it happened. 

Her dad insisted on driving her sisters to school on his way to work. They headed out earlier than usual since he didn’t want to be late. Ella and Etta hugged her tightly before they left, rambling on about how excited they were to bake together after school. Alya returned their enthusiasm. They haven’t been able to spend much time together because of how much Alya had on her plate. She’s been looking forward to this just as much as the twins.

Ella and Etta screamed in mock terror when Alya picked them up and peppered kisses all over their faces. 

“Alyaaaaa we’re gonna be late!” Ella whined. 

She plopped an extra-long kiss on each of their foreheads purposely just to be annoying. “What? Can’t I love my little sisters?”

“I thought we were gremlins,” Etta said.

“That you are,” Alya confirmed, booping her nose for emphasis. 

She hugged them one last time when their dad called, promising she wouldn’t be late when they asked. 

The chaos started as soon as they drove away. 

Alya put the last of what she needed for school in her backpack when the doorbell rang. She frowned. It couldn’t be her dad. They just left and he would’ve used his key. Marinette and Nino already told her they wouldn’t be able to walk with her to school today and it definitely couldn’t be Adrien since he was still grounded.

She figured it might be Mrs. Johnson or another neighbor checking in. Alya went to find out, missing the texts blowing up her phone. 

As soon as she unlocked the door it was forcefully opened. Camera flashes completely obscured her vision. Alya winced and covered her eyes. Yelling from all sides of her immediately followed. The combination of the bright lights and loud noise made Alya’s head spin.

“Miss Cesaire, can you confirm—”

“Are the rumors—”

“How long—”

“When did you—”

“Can you give us a statement—”

People were coming out of their apartments because of the disturbance. The yelling got louder and Alya couldn’t make out anything being said. A harsh grip on her wrist snapped her out of her stunned state. Before Alya could retaliate, a microphone was shoved into her face by the person who grabbed her. 

The following question rang loud and clear.

“Is it true? Are you and Adrien Agreste dating?” 

Alya’s mind went blank. 

Her throat felt extremely dry all of a sudden, stinging when she nervously gulped. The crowd around her continued to shout out questions, but all Alya could focus on was the one person in front of her, waiting for a response.

No. The answer was no. Why the hell couldn’t Alya say it?

The grip on her wrist tightened and her entire body was jostled. The person repeated the question, clearly aggravated. The microphone moved closer to her face and Alya’s eyes locked on the familiar news logo on the side. 

Several realizations hit her at once.

Paparazzi. An entire crowd of them in front of her apartment. The local news, gossip pages. All of them were standing at her door demanding answers. Answers regarding her relationship with Adrien which she still couldn’t bring herself to respond to. But she didn’t owe them anything. They showed up to her apartment, unannounced, harassing her with a story they pulled out of thin air. They weren’t supposed to be here. 

Alya pulled her wrist free and sent the deadliest glare she could muster. “Fuck  _ off _ .”

She ignored the next onslaught of questions and slammed the door shut, pressing her back against it when the reporters started to bang on it harshly. Alya closed her eyes and tried to gain control of her breathing, putting more pressure on the door when it started to shake. Barricading the door seemed a little extreme but Alya didn’t want to take any chances. She pushed the biggest couch from the living room in front of the door and put a chair from the dining room on top of it for good measure.

Alya ran into her room and dove for her phone. Her heart sank as she read the trending news. 

_ Adrien Agreste’s Secret Girlfriend? _

_ New Power Couple of Paris? _

_ Adrien Agreste spotted with his new Girlfriend  _

_ 10 Facts about Adrien Agreste & Alya Cesaire You May not Know _

She shakily opened the first article, freezing when she saw the cover photo. 

A picture of her and Adrien. Specifically from the day they went to Juleka’s party. The photo was taken right when they rode away from school, matching wide smiles on their faces. The high quality of the photo told Alya whoever took it purposely waited for the right moment. 

They clearly knew what they were doing. This wasn’t some random person being nosy. Alya and Adrien would’ve noticed their presence if that were the case. Her eyes darted towards her window. Could they be watching her right now? Alya got up and closed her blinds for good measure. She took another deep breath and turned back to the article, trying to get her hands to stop shaking.

More pictures were embedded as Alya scrolled down. 

Pictures of them walking together, outside his house, at school, even a picture of them at the dîner Alya told Nino about. Only the back of Adrien’s head could be seen. Alya was in full-frame, her head thrown back in the middle of laughing at a joke he made. They were in their own world, oblivious to being watched. The other articles had more pictures, and one even shared her address. How they got ahold of that information to begin with made Alya uneasy. This entire  _ situation  _ made her uneasy.

She sank to the floor, her entire body trembling. Someone followed her and Adrien for  _ weeks  _ without catching their attention. They completely invaded their privacy and leaked false information for the whole world to see. Alya pushed back the bile rising in her throat. The sudden craziness of her life gave her little time to find any peace. Adrien became someone Alya could let her guard down around. She never worried about anything when they were together.

That safeness, that  _ security _ , was snatched away all because of one person. Possibly multiple. Alya blinked away the tears in her eyes. Her mind wandered back to her first visit to Adrien’s house. The rustling from the bushes. She wasn’t being paranoid at all.

Alya checked her messages next, blocking news outlets and gossip pages who managed to get her phone number. The class group chat was overflowing with texts. She muted it, too afraid to see how her classmates were reacting. Juleka, Alix, Luka, Nino, and Adrien all sent her individual texts asking if she was okay. She held her phone tighter reading the several apologies from Adrien. Alya’s finger hovered over the call button next to his number.

What could she even say in this situation? What would  _ he  _ say? They were in uncharted territory. 

Alya didn’t understand why the reporter’s question still bothered her, let alone why she couldn’t just say no. Adrien probably denied it from the start. She found herself frowning at the thought. 

Why did she care in the first place? Adrien wouldn’t be wrong for denying what the press was saying. So what if it annoyed him… or disgusted him. 

_ No _ . He would never be so appalled by dating rumors. That’s all they were. Rumors. Alya shouldn’t be getting worked up over this. She had to call him and figure out a plan to clear everything up. 

“Just  _ call  _ him,” she muttered angrily to herself. 

A notification from Marinette pulled her attention away. She stared at Adrien’s contact information for another solid minute before swiping it away. The possibility of him being annoyed wouldn’t leave her mind. 

Alya watched the text bubble at the bottom of her screen anxiously, waiting for Marinette to say something. It felt like the longest three minutes of her life. Dread washed over her when it disappeared. Marinette didn’t try to text her again.

She had to know it wasn’t true. Right?

Alya jumped when her phone started to ring. Her shoulders slumped in relief to see Nino’s contact information and not some random news outlet. 

“Dude, your face is  _ everywhere _ ,” Nino said once Alya picked up, panic evident in his voice. “Are you okay???”

“Is Adrien okay?” Alya asked, completely disregarding his question. 

“As okay as anyone could be in this situation,” Nino replied honestly. “He’s been on the phone with Nathalie ever since the paparazzi flooded the school.” He paused. “He’s mainly concerned about you.”

She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Tell him not to worry. I’m f—”

“Don’t you dare try to pull that bullshit on me right now,” Nino snapped. Alya stared at her phone in shock. Nino has been angry before, but never to this degree. He took a long intake of air before speaking again. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to snap at you. It’s just… Adrien is a  _ wreck  _ right now. The paparazzi jumped him and when he saw someone leaked your address and ambushed your apartment he completely lost it. I’ve never seen him like this before.” Alya knew Adrien was used to his life being in the spotlight, but never like this. She couldn’t imagine what he was thinking. Did he feel as trapped as she did?

“Alya, I know you. None of this is fine and you definitely aren’t. Please, for  _ once _ , just talk to me.”

_ Friends don’t lie to each other. I’ve always been honest with you about everything. Why can’t you do the same for me? _

There were too many thoughts swirling in her mind to form a coherent thought on her feelings. Her anger and fear towards the paparazzi, the person or people who stalked her. Confusion over why she couldn’t say no.

Why she cared so much about Adrien’s reactions to the rumors. 

Alya gripped her phone tightly.  _ God _ , she hated this. 

“Alya,  _ please _ ,” Nino begged. “Tell me what’s going through your head.”

She couldn’t. As much as she wanted to, she couldn’t. Not when she barely understood her feelings. There was only one thing Alya knew for certain:

There was no way in  _ hell  _ she was letting the paparazzi win. There were already too many people making her life harder than it needed to be. Hawkmoth, Lady Wifi, her parents. She barely had control over herself.

Alya wasn’t going to stand by and let someone else try to control her. 

“I’m coming.” Nino made a strangled noise as she stood up.

“Now is not the time to be impulsive!” Nino scolded. “Stay home. We’ll figure something out—”

“ _ No _ ,” Alya hissed. “Some creep followed me and Adrien around for  _ weeks  _ and now, thanks to them, the press won’t leave us alone. I’m not taking this sitting down.”

“Alya—”

“I’m scared, okay?” Nino went silent. “But if I hide in my room, they win. I’m not letting that happen.”

He sighed. “At least tell me you have a plan.” Alya pushed back her blinds and looked out her window. Just as she feared, the paparazzi surrounded the entire apartment complex. Going down the fire escape would only lead her right into the frenzy. 

“I’ll figure something out. See you soon.”

Alya hung up before Nino could protest. Her eyes went wide in alarm when she received an incoming phone call from her mom. She also noticed several missed calls from her dad. Alya turned off her phone and stuffed it in her backpack. Her parents were the least of her worries at the moment.

And she did  _ not  _ want to deal with an awkward conversation explaining how the press got ahold of a completely false story and  _ no— _ she didn’t have a boyfriend.

Alya swung her bag over her shoulder and climbed onto the fire escape. She contemplated taking her chances with the huge crowd and making a run for it. 

“Need a lift?” 

Alya startled. Ladybug stood on the ledge of the fire escape. She flipped and landed gracefully in front of her. The inner Ladybug fan in her screamed but Alya managed to remain passive. 

“How—”

“News spreads fast.” Ladybug replied. 

“ _ Fake _ news,” Alya quickly corrected. 

“Right. Fake news,” Ladybug repeated. Alya didn’t miss the slight doubt in her tone. “Chat Noir sent me a message asking to check on you. Said he couldn’t make it.”

Correction: he was currently trapped at school. 

“Surprised you showed up to help after last time we spoke,” Alya remarked bitterly. Their last encounter was still fresh in her mind.“Sure I’m not burdening you from your hero duties?” 

Ladybug sighed. “I guess I kinda deserved that.” The heroine scratched the back of her neck awkwardly. “I never apologized.”

“I never expected to get one.” 

The awkward air around them quickly grew tense. 

“Seriously? You want to do this now?” the heroine demanded. She pointed at the huge crowd of paparazzi below them. “It’s not safe here. We need to  _ leave _ . Arguing won’t do us any good.”

“I disagree. That’s all we seem to do nowadays, isn’t it?” Alya snapped.

Aggravating Ladybug, especially now of all times, definitely wasn’t wise. Alya would be better off keeping her mouth shut and accepting her help without complaint. 

But she was  _ mad _ . Not just at this entire situation, but at Ladybug. She couldn’t let those feelings go. The heroine only showed up because Chat Noir asked her to. Alya didn’t want her pity. Not if it came from a place of obligation Ladybug had towards her partner. 

“Do you seriously think I’m that heartless?” Ladybug demanded. 

Alya pretended to think. “Hm, I don’t know. How would you feel if someone who was supposed to help you did it angrily, without an explanation as to why they were angry to begin with and decided to give you the cold shoulder?” 

“That’s rich coming from you. You interrogated me! Just like you’re doing right now,” Ladybug yelled, throwing her hands in the air in frustration. “I was trying to help you then, and I’m trying to help you now. So can we  _ go _ ?”

“Help me?” Alya scoffed. “All you’ve done is criticize me!”

“You gave me a hard time for no reason!”

“You treated me like a nuisance as if I don’t get that enough already!” Ladybug reeled back as if the words slapped her across the face. Alya looked away. “I get it. You don’t like me. I annoyed you with the Ladyblog and I’m even more annoying now that I managed to get an akuma trapped inside me. Chat Noir is the only reason you bothered to show up to help me both then and now. So no, I didn’t expect an apology. Why would I get one from someone who obviously despises me?” 

Alya didn’t mean to let all that slip, but might as well get everything out in the open. She was already emotionally exhausted and the day barely began. 

“Just go. I can get to school on my own,” she muttered. 

Ladybug stayed in place. Alya grit her teeth angrily. “I  _ said— _ ”

“I failed you.” 

Alya’s anger dissipated. The guilt in Ladybug’s voice weighed heavily. Her body slumped in defeat, a dark look in her eyes Alya couldn’t comprehend. 

“That day when we beat Lady Wifi? Chat Noir and I left. We were about to transform back and when you turned your back, we took the chance to leave. Neither of us thought to make sure you were okay.” Alya remembered. She walked home alone in the dark that night. Her mom yelled at her, not bothering to ask if Alya was okay. Her dad stood by and let it happen. 

“I honestly thought I got the hang of the whole ‘hero’ thing. Fight akumas, protect civilians, save the day.” Ladybug took a shaky breath. “This is the first time I’ve doubted myself since Stoneheart.” The self-loathing in her voice made Alya want to stop listening. This side of Ladybug… it reminded her too much of Chat Noir when he doubted himself. “I never asked to be a hero. When Stoneheart attacked again… I froze. The only reason it happened was because of me. I vowed to myself, and the entire city, that I would never let them down again. Everyone trusts me to keep them safe and I can never let what happened that day repeat itself.” 

She finally mustered the courage to face Alya. “But I broke that promise. I failed you. If I hadn’t been so careless that night, maybe I could’ve gotten rid of Lady Wifi for good. I could’ve done  _ something _ .”

Alya’s vision blurred as a couple of stray tears escaped from her eyes. Ladybug’s own eyes were glossy. 

“What kind of hero can’t protect the people closest to them?” 

Wait—did she mean what Alya thought? She wiped her tears, eyeing Ladybug cautiously. 

“Do I—” Alya swallowed nervously. “Do I know you? As a civilian?”

The heroine went rigid. Her silence spoke for itself. 

Then that meant Alya was right. Ladybug had to be in her class. The same class as Chat Noir. This entire time, the heroes of Paris were right there and no one batted an eye. They were going to school everyday like her and everyone else, carrying the burden of protecting the city. They were  _ kids _ .

“I knew it,” Alya muttered. 

Chloe was already ruled out. Even if Alya didn’t suspect her initially she couldn’t be Ladybug. They were the farthest thing from close. It couldn’t be Sabrina either. Alya held no grudge against her as she did with Chloe, but they never spoke. She became friends with Kagami recently and she could’ve been a suspect, but Alya saw her and Ladybug together when Darkblade attacked. That left Juleka, Alix, Rose, Mylene, and—

“What I told you doesn’t leave this fire escape,” Ladybug said firmly, cutting off Alya’s train of thought. “The last thing we need is another Lady Wifi incident.”

The color drained from Alya’s face.

“Oh.”

She wanted to argue this time was different. Before Alya acted on impulse, too eager to figure out Ladybug’s identity. This time she had a solid lead and she turned out to be right about Chat Noir. They had nothing to worry about. 

But.. invading privacy, poking her nose somewhere it didn’t belong. Alya turned to look at the paparazzi below.

Was she any better than them?

“I’m not trying to be mean. It’s just—”

“I get it. You don’t owe me an explanation.” 

“Yeah, I do.” Ladybug placed a hand on Alya’s shoulder. “It’s my job to protect you. I want to take every precaution possible.” She rubbed her shoulder gently. “I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

Alya couldn’t form a response. Ladybug carried big enough of a burden. The whole time Alya thought the heroine saw her as an annoyance, she’s been holding in the guilt of failing her. 

Ladybug didn’t hate her.  _ Ladybug didn’t hate her. _

“Chat Noir sent the message when I was on my way here,” she added. Her lips quirked up into a timid but welcoming smile. “I want to help.”

Ladybug offered her hand. This time, Alya took it without complaint.

One of the reporters spotted them. They grew rowdy and shouted out questions, shoving one another to try and make themselves the center of attention. Ladybug ignored them and swung away with Alya in her arms. 

Soaring through the sky with Ladybug felt exponentially different than before. Alya allowed herself to relax, completely trusting the heroine. There was no lingering anger or resentment between them.

All she felt was safe. 

An even bigger crowd of paparazzi stood surrounded the front of the school when they arrived. Mr. Damocles, Ms. Mendeleiev, and Miss Bustier blocked the front doors, attempting to prevent them from entering the building. 

Ladybug dropped her off at the back entrance of the school. Alya muttered a thank you under her breath and ran towards the door. A hand on her wrist stopped her.

“I meant everything I said,” Ladybug reiterated. “I’m truly sorry, Alya. I hope one day you can find it in your heart to forgive me. For everything.” She let Alya go. “Good luck with the press.”

She watched Ladybug leap through the air, her figure growing smaller until she vanished. Alya found it ironic and a little sad how she made up with Ladybug way faster than she did with Marinette. Still, she was relieved. Her conscious felt lighter. One of her several dilemmas finally got resolved. 

If only the rest could go as smoothly. 

Alya entered the school, not expecting to see everyone gathered in the main foyer. The ruckus from the paparazzi outside carried through the entire building. Groups of students were gathered near the entrance listening to what was being said. Everyone else talked amongst themselves as teachers repeatedly assured everything would be figured out soon. Alya heard her and Adrien’s name said frequently. Some were annoyed and wanted to head back to class while others were speculating whether or not the rumors were true.

Alya could feel eyes following her as she tried to find a familiar head of blonde hair. 

“Alya!”

Nino ran over with Juleka and Alix in tow. The rest of the class noticed her arrival and followed. They all expressed how happy they were to see she was okay. Thankfully, none of them mentioned what happened. Alya smiled sheepishly when Nino glared at her. “You gave me a heart attack! I asked if you had a plan and you  _ hung up _ ???” 

“I did say see you soon,” Alya defended weakly. “And guess what? It’s soon! I’m here!”

“...I’m gonna have a full head of grey hair before I turn 20 because of you.”

“Rude???” 

“It’s true. He was pacing so much I thought he would make a hole in the ground,” Alix deadpanned. 

Nino squawked. “I did  _ not— _ ”

“As much as I love seeing you idiots argue, we have a bigger situation to worry about,” Chloe snapped, her hands on her hips. Alya blinked in surprise when the other girl met her gaze without flinching. “You continue to amaze me with your skill to further screw things up, Cesaire.”

“ _ Chloe _ ,” Sabrina scolded.

“None of this is on Alya,” Juleka argued.

Chloe’s eyebrow raised. “Some of it is.”

“You can’t be serious,” Alix said in disbelief. “Some jerk invaded her privacy! How is that her fault?”

“I’m not talking about that,” Chloe huffed. She raised her hand, putting all her fingers down except for one. “Rule one of publicity: when an untrue claim is made,  _ deny _ . Instead of doing that, you told the paparazzi to fuck off.”

“What—”

“They posted the video, which painted you in an extremely negative and guilty light by the way” Chloe informed. 

“They’re the bad guys here! What the hell did you expect me to do? Let them in and throw a party?” Alya snapped. 

Chloe poked her chest harshly. “You know better than anyone how the world of journalism works. Image is  _ everything _ . People don’t care how the press acts. All they care about is the story, and what happened this morning showed the public you’re hiding something.” 

It was true, as much as she hated to admit it. Alya’s feelings in the moment were appropriate. A whole crowd of strangers ambushed her. But all people cared about were her and Adrien, not the behavior of the press.

“Like I said, you know about this more than anyone. I’m not telling you anything you aren’t aware of. You’re the inspiring journalist after all.” Chloe leaned into her space. “Care to share why you couldn’t just say no?” 

Alya bit her tongue. She’s been asking herself the same question all day and still had no answer. Chloe tapped her foot impatiently. “ _ Well _ ?”

Why did she care? They haven’t talked since their fight and Chloe made it her mission to avoid her. Alya averted her gaze, missing the slight concern and suspicion in Chloe’s. 

“Knock it off, Chloe. Today’s been stressful enough. Fighting won’t solve anything.” 

Alya whipped around. Adrien stood behind her with a tired expression on his face. No words were exchanged. They observed each other silently, waiting for who would make the first move. Alya tried to find something to say but kept closing her mouth, unable to find the words. Adrien did the same, just as unsure. Nino looked between them and stepped back, leading the rest of the class to follow and let them have a moment alone. 

A couple more minutes went by. Neither of them moved. 

The energy between them reminded Alya how awkward their relationship used to be. They were practically strangers. Marinette and Nino were usually around all the time and they didn’t know how to act around each other without their friends. But they grew past that. 

The fact that now, after how far they’ve come, they’re reminiscent of how they used to be? It hurt. They were both on guard. Alya trusted Adrien fully, that would never change. 

But there were eyes somewhere, watching their every move. The semblance of peace they had was broken. 

“Are you okay?” Adrien asked, finally breaking the silence. 

“Are you?” Alya shot back.

“It doesn’t matter—”

“Like hell it doesn’t.”

Alya took a step closer. Adrien took one step back. 

“You don’t have to lie to me,” he said quietly. “I understand if this changes things.”

“Why would—” she stopped when it dawned on her.

He thought she would leave. Alya didn’t take into account how Adrien might be afraid  _ she  _ would find the rumors annoying and cut him off. 

Alya shook her head. “It doesn’t. I’m not going anywhere.” She moved before Adrien could retreat any further and grabbed his shoulders, shaking him slightly. “I’m serious. What kind of friend would I be if I left?”

“What kind of friend would I be if I let you stay?” Adrien challenged, breaking away from her hold. Alya pulled her hands close as if she’d been burned. Regret flashed across Adrien’s face when he realized and reached out but decided against it, letting his hand fall limp at his side. 

“I called Nathalie and she’s already trying to get the situation under control. She doesn’t know how long it’ll take. Almost every news network is talking about us,” Adrien explained. “I don’t want us to stop talking or go back to how things were before. But you can’t be near me. We don’t know who followed us and I don’t want them to do anything that could hurt you. They already leaked your address and it’s  _ still up _ . I can’t let another bad thing happen.”

Anger surged through Alya when she picked up the guilt laced in his tone. “You seriously can’t be blaming yourself for this???” 

“How can I not?” Adrien asked angrily. “I’ve been in the spotlight for as long as I can remember. The press is always trying to find out every little thing about me! And now…” his voice broke. “Now you got dragged into my mess.”

“The only people at fault are the ones who decided to stick their noses somewhere they shouldn't have,” Alya argued. “It doesn’t matter how well-known someone is. That doesn’t give them the right to harass anybody!”

“They don’t care. The only thing they want is a good story to tell.” Adrien’s hands clenched into fists. “They invaded our privacy and made up a huge lie all because of who I am. The press doesn’t see me as a person. They never have. I’m just a headline.”

Alya resisted the urge to voice her opinion on who followed them. The mystery person (or people) couldn’t be the press. No matter how sneaky they were they would’ve run with the story ages ago. Whoever followed them planned this whole thing carefully.

Then again, Alya could be overthinking this and she didn’t have any solid proof. The last thing Adrien needed to hear was a theory based on a hunch. 

“It’s one story. They’ll get bored and move on—”

“It never ends there!”

The frustration in his voice rang through the room.

“You would think it ends, but it never does. Somehow the topic gets mentioned over and over again. It may seem harmless at first. They could be talking about something as silly as a person’s favorite color.” He laughed, but it lacked any amusement. “But if that color changes, they make it their mission to find out about it no matter what. They want to know everything, no matter how small it may seem.”

Alya lost track of how many times Marinette gushed over any new interview Adrien did. Or any piece of media related to him in general. His photo shoots, commercials, magazine covers. Most of what Marinette or anyone in their class knew about Adrien came from those. Alya didn’t think much of it at the time. But now…

Adrien was the face of his father’s entire company. He dealt with the press and their unrelenting questions. Mr. Agreste hasn’t made a public appearance ever since his wife disappeared. All the responsibility for being the face of his entire brand fell on Adrien. She never saw how truly overwhelming it felt until today. 

Adrien opened up to her. Trusted her with everything. Just as Alya let her guard down, he did the same. The intrusion on their privacy had more of an effect on Adrien than Alya could begin to imagine.

When he wasn’t alone, he was being constantly observed. Whether it be from his father the press, Nathalie, his bodyguard. He never got time alone when he actually wanted it. The attention he got wasn’t the type he wanted. His father constantly keeping an eye out for perfection. Nathalie and his bodyguard, though they mean well, never giving him room to breathe. Adrien wanted a normal life. One where he didn’t have to worry about pushing himself past his limits to be what everyone saw him as: perfect.

With Alya, it felt like he did. They goofed around without a care in the world. Alya pushed him in a good way. To be a little more rebellious and honest. As cheesy as it sounded, every day with her felt like an adventure. They were just two teenagers being themselves. Anyone else may not see anything special about that, but to Adrien it meant everything. 

Chat Noir wasn’t his only escape. He also had Alya. 

To see someone had been following them, giving Adrien the attention he didn’t want, made him feel hopeless. A harsh reminder that his life was far from normal. The safe space he thought he had with her ripped away as soon as Adrien got it.

Alya couldn’t stand seeing Adrien like this. His shoulders hunched up, body curling in on itself. Trying to make himself as small as possible. The light inside his eyes dulled. 

The longer they let this drag on the worse it would get. They couldn’t wait on Nathalie to get this under control. Quite frankly, Alya didn’t trust her enough to do so.

“That’s it. I’m ending this shit right now.”

Adrien’s eyes went wide as Alya grabbed his hand and pulled him along. “Wait—”

“Those assholes won’t leave unless we tell them to. I’m sick of them acting like we owe them an explanation when we don’t—”

“ _ Alya _ .”

She stopped. Adrien’s grip on her hand tightened. “Please, let Nathalie handle this. I’ve already put you through enough.” 

“You didn’t put me through anything. None of this is your fault,” Alya denied. “Besides, it’s not all bad.”

Adrien’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Alya fought back a smile.

“Everyone thinks you’re dating the best girl in Paris. You should be flattered, I’m quite the catch,” she joked with an over-exaggerated wink. 

Internally, Alya panicked for a second thinking she might’ve pushed her luck. Her worries vanished when Adrien laughed, his previously tense posture fading. 

  
  


“I’m pretty lucky,” he agreed. 

A warm feeling settled in her chest. Adrien’s words coupled with the fond look on his face instantly put her at ease. Alya continued to pull Adrien along, interlacing their fingers properly.

She grabbed Nino by the ear on their way, ignoring his protests. Marinette emerged from the crowd searching for the class. She squeaked when Alya marched her way and ushered her with them. 

“Shouldn’t we be moving away from the crowd of paparazzi?” Nino asked, yelping when Alya tugged on his ear.

“I have a plan,” she assured.

Marinette didn’t seem convinced. “I don’t know how Nino and I could help.” To Alya’s surprise, there was no anger or judgment in her tone. She thought Marinette would be against helping considering how she ghosted her. In fact, she wasn’t as awkward as she has been since their argument. It felt like how she used to be before the drama between them started.

What changed? 

“You guys just have to trust me,” Alya said once they reached the doors. She pushed her thoughts on Marinette’s sudden change in behavior to the back of her mind. It could wait.

Nino crossed his arms. “I don’t think I can trust someone who nearly ripped my ear off.” He cackled when Alya shoved him. “I’m kidding, you know I trust you.” Marinette and Adrien nodded in agreement. 

She took a deep breath and pushed the front doors open. All eyes focused on them. The paparazzi went wild, shouting questions and taking several pictures. 

“Miss Cesaire!” Mr. Damocles exclaimed in surprise. “Please go back inside—”

“I got this,” Alya interrupted. 

He tried to oppose again, quickly changing his mind seeing the fury burning in Alya’s eyes as she glared at the paparazzi. The other teachers followed his lead and stepped back.

“Listen up vultures!” The chatter in the crowd died down. A few reporters in front gasped in offense. “I don’t know why it’s so hard for your tiny ass pea brains to understand that  _ nothing is going on _ . All you’ve done is pull a story out of thin air based off of pictures, which, by the way, are just pictures.”

“We have sources—”

“You mean anonymous tips from weirdos online?” Alya corrected. “Are all of you that desperate to find a story you went as far as to harass teenagers to get it?”

“Neither of you have denied or confirmed the rumors. I think that gives us reason to believe there’s truth to what our sources told us,” one of the reporters piped up. Several others murmured in agreement. 

Adrien didn’t deny the rumors either? An emotion Alya couldn’t identify made her heart swell. She discreetly looked over her shoulder, frowning when she noticed how shaken up Adrien was. A camera went off and he flinched on instinct. Alya turned back around to glare at the reporter who took the picture. 

This wasn’t the time to get distracted.

“What do you expect? A huge ass crowd of paparazzi swarms us and you expect to have a civil conversation?” she asked snarkily. 

“There’s a story here. We’re not leaving unless we get it.” 

Alya’s eye twitched. “Fine. You want a story? I’ll give you a fucking story.”

She walked over to Adrien, the paparazzi burning holes in her back with every step she took. Alya cupped his face in her hands, coaxing him to meet her eyes. 

“Trust me?” she whispered.

Adrien nodded, already picking up on her plan. She leaned up and gently kissed his cheek, lingering for a second longer than she should’ve when pulling away. Alya walked over to Nino, using his shoulders for leverage to reach up and kiss his forehead. She planted another on Marinette’s nose, reducing her to a flustered mess. 

Alya turned back to face the now speechless crowd of paparazzi. 

“Something wrong?” she asked innocently. 

“What was the point of that?” the reporter leading the crowd demanded. 

“The  _ point  _ is I’m affectionate with all my friends. The pictures you have are just me and Adrien having fun together. As  _ friends _ . There’s no big story to uncover!”

“But the—”

“Say one more thing about your stupid sources and I’ll take that microphone and shove it down your throat,” Alya snapped.

The harshness of her words were reminiscent of a certain akuma. The reporters were too spooked to realize. Her friends, two of them to be specific, did.

“Now, I’m going to be generous and give you two options: leave, or get your asses handed to you by an angry 15-year old. The second option would give you all that story you’re clearly desperate for.” Alya cracked her knuckles for emphasis. A thin line of dark purple encircled her irises. One of the reporters in the front cowered away. “So? What’ll it be?” 

The crowd took no time to disperse. Mr. Damocles, Ms. Mendeleiev, and Miss Bustier collectively sighed in relief. 

“Back to class everyone!” Miss Bustier announced. A mixture of cheers and groans came from the students. Nino and Marinette followed them inside, Marinette being a little more hesitant to leave. Adrien stayed with Alya to make sure all of the paparazzi actually left.

The last ones to leave eyed Alya warily. “Are we sure Lady Wifi won’t make another appearance?” 

She tensed.

“I don’t think she ever left.” 

_ I warned you, didn’t I? I’m always going to be a part of you _

Alya covered her mouth to muffle the sob that managed to escape from her throat. She squeezed her eyes shut, refusing to let any tears fall. The reporters didn’t know anything. They’re the reason she was angry in the first place. Alya wasn’t in the wrong. 

Despite the reasoning, the comments still stung. Especially since they were true. 

“Did you guys pick the second option?” Adrien asked darkly. Alya’s eyes snapped open. Her jaw dropped at the sight of Adrien shaking with rage.

The reporters froze. “What?”

“You got two options: leave, or get your asses handed to you by an angry 15-year old. Since you’re still here, I guess you made your choice.” If looks could kill, the reporters would’ve been goners. Alya has never seen Adrien get this angry. Not even as Chat Noir. 

“W-We’re not—”

“Then  _ leave _ .”

The reporters almost fell over running away. Adrien kept his eyes locked on them until they were out of sight. Alya grabbed his hand and lead him inside the school, doing a double check to make sure all the reporters were gone. 

“Thank you.” she squeezed his hand. “You didn’t have to do that.” 

“I should be thanking you,” Adrien argued. “And I did. They had no right to say that.”

They lapsed into silence. Not an uncomfortable one, but Alya could feel something slightly off. Adrien squeezed her hand one last time before he let go.

“I still think it’s better if we stay away from each other for a while. Just until the press calms down.”

Alya studied him with a frown. “You haven’t stopped blaming yourself.”

Adrien didn’t argue. 

“What about the project?” she asked hesitantly. 

The question was more loaded than it seemed. They were basically done. The only real thing they had left to do was present it. In the last few days before the project due date, Alya and Adrien used the time as an excuse to hang out.

The question really referred to them. How long would it be before they could go back to normal?

“We’ll figure it out,” Adrien replied.

His phone buzzed. “Nathalie took down the article with your address,” he said, reading over the text he received. “She sent a bodyguard to watch over your apartment to make sure no one else will bother you.”

“A  _ bodyguard _ ? I can’t—”

“It’s only temporary. They’ll stay parked across the street,” Adrien assured. “It’s just a precaution.” 

“I can take care of myself, you know,” Alya muttered. 

“That doesn’t mean you always have to.” 

_ You already care so much for all the people in your life, let them do the same for you _

He never failed to stand by his words. 

Arguing would be pointless. Alya had a strong feeling Adrien would show up us Chat Noir to guard her instead if she refused. She knew he meant well, he always did. 

Getting help from others is something Alya hasn’t gotten used to yet. 

“Texting is a thing, by the way. Unless the paparazzi bugged our phones when we weren’t looking,” Alya said. “We can facetime all we want.”

“Miss me that much already?” Adrien teased.

“Don’t flatter yourself, Sunshine.”

“Another nickname to add to the list,” Adrien noted. “What do we have so far? Goldilocks, Rapunzel, Discount Thor—”

“I should stop using that. It’s an insult to Thor.”

“Ouch???” 

Adrien stumbled back, acting wounded by the jab. Alya rolled her eyes fondly. They lapsed into another silence, this one being more tense.

“See you in class?” Alya asked.

Adrien nodded. “Yeah.”

Alya wondered if they were being overdramatic. They saw each other every day at school. It’s not like they were separating forever. 

But Adrien was still grounded, barely allowed to go anywhere alone. His father confiscated his phone at a specific time and Adrien didn’t get it back until morning. Sometimes they had other things to do during lunch or study hall and missed each other. Worst of all, they had no idea how closely they were being watched. They had to be cautious. 

“We should go. Miss Bustier is probably wondering where—”

Alya’s breath caught in her throat when Adrien leaned down and kissed her cheek. 

“I hope you have fun baking with your sisters,” he murmured. 

Adrien waved and walked away. Alya’s hand raised to cradle her cheek, breathless. She got to class later than Adrien, waving away Marinette and Nino’s concerns. Alya did her best to stay focused on the lesson. She did a pretty good job up until Miss Bustier handed out the homework and everyone passed the papers back. Alya had to remind herself to breathe when her hand touched Adrien’s. 

The warmth of the kiss lingered on her cheek for the rest of the day. 

Alya practically bolted out of her seat once the final bell rang. She had to make a quick stop at the grocery store to get some more chocolate for the brownies. Ella and Etta snuck into the pantry the previous night and ate the chocolate Alya initially bought. She got the books she needed from her locker and speed-walked towards the exit. 

“—why you keep doing this?”

Alya paused. Kagami? What was she doing here? There isn’t a fencing club meeting today.

“Can we please talk about this another time?”

_ Marinette _ ? What happened? They both sounded upset. Alya backtracked and hid. She leaned forward slightly to get a better view. 

“No, Marinette. We can’t. I’m tired of all your excuses!” 

Marinette sounded close to tears. “That’s not fair.”

“What’s not fair is you sending mixed signals. You—” 

Kagami’s voice became quiet. The rest of what she said must’ve struck a nerve with how shaken Marinette looked. 

“—don’t know that.”

“I do.”

Kagami showed Marinette something on her phone, resulting in Marinette shoving it away. The phone fell out of her hand and hit the ground, the screen shattering. 

“—need to leave.”

“Why won’t you just—”

They started to yell at each other. Alya couldn’t make anything out. Marinette walked away, ignoring Kagami calling after her. She looked tempted to run after her but decided against it. Kagami bent down to recover her phone, cursing under her breath seeing the damage. 

She stood and took off the phone case, shoulders slumping in relief. The item she kept there came out unscathed. Alya rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn’t seeing things. 

“A rose?”

Marinette nodded enthusiastically. “It’s a cute idea! Everyone already knows what roses mean. It’s a universal thing. I won’t have to say anything! All I have to do is give Adrien one and he’ll understand. It’s the perfect plan!”

Well, it could’ve been. Marinette got so nervous Nino ended up with the rose. How she managed to mess up the plan to that extent still baffled Alya to this day. 

But she didn’t think Marinette would try out the plan again, let alone to give a rose to Kagami. It took her a long time to hold a full conversation with Adrien without getting flustered to the point of not being able to speak. Alya saw her react the same way around Kagami, but it didn’t last. 

She knew there was more to the story than Marinette told her. The rose told Alya everything she needed. 

The real question was what kept Marinette from admitting her true feelings? 

A small sob came from Kagami. Frustrated tears flowed down her face and she held the rose tightly, falling to her knees. Alya already overstepped enough, but she couldn’t bring herself to leave Kagami like this.

“Kagami?” Alya asked cautiously, coming out from her hiding place.

The teen immediately became defensive, hiding the rose behind her back. 

“How long have you been standing there?” Kagami demanded. 

“Since the start,” Alya admitted. 

“This is none of your business—”

“I know. I’m sorry for eavesdropping.” Alya approached, offering her hand. “I didn’t want to interrupt.”

Kagami scoffed. She accepted the help and stood. “It would’ve been better if you did.”

Alya stayed silent as Kagami wiped her tears. She pulled the rose back out, gently stroking the petals with her thumb. A sad smile formed on her face and Alya wanted nothing more than to wipe it away. What could she say? 

“Kagami—”

“Alya, I’m not saying this to be mean, but you’re the last person I want to talk to about this.”

Fair enough. The words hurt a little, but Alya couldn’t blame Kagami. She intruded on a private conversation. Alya nodded in understanding and moved to leave. Kagami pulled out her phone to inspect the damage further. The screen was stuck on the last website she entered. Alya froze when she recognized the cover photo. 

One of the articles about her and Adrien. That’s what Kagami showed to Marinette? 

“The rumors aren’t true,” Alya said, turning back around. 

Kagami didn’t look up. “I know. That’s not the problem.”

“Then what—”

“Seriously, it’s better that you don’t know.”

Alya’s suspicion grew. What was the point of Kagami pulling up the article if she knew the truth? Why did Marinette have that reaction to the article? Several questions were at the tip of her tongue but Alya held them back. This wasn’t an interrogation. 

“Marinette cares about you. I can tell you that for sure. She’ll come around.”

“I doubt it,” Kagami muttered tiredly. 

“She will,” Alya said firmly. “You… um... you have to…” her words faltered. A fog clouded over her mind, jumbling her thoughts. 

“I have to what?” Kagami asked urgently. She grew concerned the more Alya began to space out. “Alya? What’s wrong?” 

Alya stumbled and Kagami caught her before she fell. She pressed a hand against her head, her vision hazy. “W-What was I saying?”

Kagami said her name again, her voice beginning to sound muffled. Alya began to feel more disoriented. Cars driving by were too loud, people walking by too quiet. Her senses were all over the place. Kagami shook her, trying to get her attention—

_ Lady Wifi _

The world around Alya went silent. Her body acted on its own and stood up straight, pushing away from the hands reaching towards her. She slowly turned her head, her eyes landing on the akuma flying around. 

_ All you want is a second chance to prove yourself, isn’t that right? _

Alya nodded, her eyes glazing over. 

_ I can give you more power _

Her hand twitched.

_ You’ll never be ignored  _

The akuma flew closer, the jagged purple lines across its black wings glowing. The brown in Alya’s eyes slowly faded, matching the glowing purple color of the akuma. 

_ Paris will never forget your name _

Alya’s arm raised slowly, reaching for the akuma. 

_ I know you won’t fail me again _

A body collided with hers. They rolled across the ground and landed far away from the akuma. An arm wrapped around her waist and Alya felt a hand cradle her head protectively as they fell. Alya winced when they came to a stop, all her senses coming back at once. Her vision cleared and she was met with a familiar pair of green eyes.

“Are you hurt?” Adrien asked, scanning her for injuries. 

“I-I’m fine,” Alya replied shakily. 

That was an  _ extremely  _ close call. She forgot how much Lady Wifi could take over when an akuma turned up. Alya completely let her guard down because of her recent inactivity. But this time… it had way more of an effect on Alya. Is that what Lady Wifi’s goal was? Waiting for the right moment to use all her power to take control? 

What would’ve happened if Adrien didn’t step in? A chill went down Alya’s spine at the possibilities.

“What happened?” she asked, her memories slightly hazy.

“Nathalie called and told me she would be late picking me up. She’s still busy handling the press. When I came out here to wait, I saw Kagami trying to pull you away from the akuma,” Adrien explained. He went quiet for a second, staring at her. Almost like he was making sure she was still there. “You were completely unresponsive. Nothing Kagami did got your attention. The akuma was about to touch your hand and… I don’t know. My body moved on its own and here we are. I didn’t think it would work.”

“Well, it worked. You saved me.” Alya smiled slightly. “Is this payback for rescuing you from your tower?”

Adrien snorted. “Only you would make a Rapunzel reference after almost being akumatized.”

Alya’s amusement faded at the reminder of their current situation. She sat up in alarm. 

“Wait—where’s the akuma?”

It didn’t take them long to find it. 

The akuma flew towards Kagami who had the rose cradled against her chest. Students leaving school spotted the akuma and ran, causing a huge commotion. Civilians wandering around went into a panic and chaos overtook the area, everyone trying to get as far away from Kagami as possible. Adrien and Alya told her to run, to get away, but she stood in place. They watched in horror as the akuma made contact.

“ _ KAGAMI _ !” Alya screamed.

A single tear fell down Kagami’s face as the akuma took over. People driving past abandoned their cars in a desperate attempt to escape. Adrien and Alya scrambled to stand, freezing when a sword pointed in their direction. 

“I am Oni-Chan. Marinette and I were made for each other. I’ll protect her from anyone who tries to harm her.” She held up her phone, the screen fixed, that showed a picture of Alya and Adrien. “That includes you two.”

“This is bad,” Alya whispered, tugging on Adrien’s arm. “We have to get out of here.  _ Now _ .”

“Where’s Marinette?” Oni-Chan demanded, taking a step closer. The teens jumped when she used her sword to cut through the wall of the school. She continued to walk towards them, leaving a line in the wall as she moved. 

“Go get help. I’ll distract her,” Adrien whispered back. 

“Are you crazy??? I’m not leaving you here alone!” Alya argued. 

She got so caught up in the severity of their position she forgot who she was actually talking to. 

Adrien didn’t look worried in the slightest. The same expression she saw on Chat Noir’s face several times is the same one he wore now. One of a hero prepared to fight. 

“I’ll be okay. Trust me.” 

She did. 

Alya took off, sending one last look over her shoulder. Adrien got the message loud and clear.

_ Don’t do anything stupid _

She pulled out her phone and called Marinette, cursing when it went straight to voicemail. “Marinette, if you get this, stay wherever you are. Kagami was akumatized and she’s looking for you. Call me back asap.”

Alya almost dropped her phone when someone bumped into her. Several others did the same. She used her bag as a shield against the constant shoving. It only got worse the closer she arrived towards the center of the city.

It was pure chaos. 

Akuma attacks weren’t new to Paris. Several protocols were created for the sole purpose of keeping everything under control. They worked for a short time. But akumas became more unpredictable, more dangerous, and people couldn’t help their fear. 

When Alya arrived at the Dupain-Cheng bakery, she could barely see the building. Huge crowds surrounded the entire area. The police were scattered around attempting to calm everyone down. She stood on the tips of her toes to search through the crowds, pushing through when she found who she was looking for. 

“Officer Raincomprix!”

Ironic how one of the people Alya suspected to be Hawkmoth is currently who she needs help from the most.

He put his megaphone down. Alya leaned on her knees to catch her breath. 

“Kag—the akuma could be here any minute,” she informed. “She’s looking for a civilian in that building.” He followed her gaze towards the bakery and grabbed his walkie-talkie to tell the officers to guard the bakery.

“Where did you see it last?”

“I saw  _ her  _ at school,” Alya replied, her eyes narrowed. Officer Raincomprix cleared his throat awkwardly. “You have to get everyone out of the area—”

A red beam came from above and sliced through an entire row of police cars with ease. Civilians screamed and ran, knocking down officers on the way. Officer Raincomprix yelled out in alarm when a first dug into his stomach, sending him flying. Alya gasped and turned, coming face-to-face with Oni-Chan. 

“ _ You _ ,” she hissed, her sword pointed right between Alya’s eyes.

Alya gulped nervously. “Where’s Adrien?”

“Where’s Marinette?” Oni-Chan challenged. 

“Somewhere safe,” Alya replied, which wasn’t a complete lie. 

“She’s never safe with you around,” Oni-Chan growled. “You’re a threat to her happiness.” 

Alya? A threat to Marinette? Seriously—what the  _ hell  _ did she and Kagami talk about?

“I’m her best friend. I’m the farthest thing from a threat,” Alya assured. She flinched when Oni-Chan grabbed the front of her shirt and yanked her closer, pressed the tip of her sword under Alya’s chin. Her bag tumbled to the ground, books spilling out onto the pavement. 

“ _ Liar _ ,” she accused. “No best friend would ever—”

She cut herself off with a cry of pain. Oni-Chan dropped her sword and fell to her knees, clutching her head. The police handling the crowds yelled at Alya to take the chance and run. She ignored them, unable to move. The only person capable of bringing this much pain was Hawkmoth. But  _ why _ ? He’s never done it to any other akuma. 

Oni-Chan sobbed. Alya caved. 

She bent down, danger be damned, and rubbed the akuma’s back. Kagami was still in there,  _ somewhere _ . Alya couldn’t leave her in pain like this. 

Officer Raincomprix recovered from the punch and stood back up, shouting orders at the other police officers. He nearly passed out from the sight of Alya comforting the akuma who attacked him.

“Hey! Get away from the akuma! It’s not safe!” he yelled.

Alya ignored him. Oni-Chan let out another cry of pain and Alya held her closer. “Don’t worry about me. Just get everyone out of the area!”

“Kid—”

Alya’s eyes shifted to purple. “ _ GO _ !”

A shock wave erupted through the city. The sheer force of it caused everyone to sway on their feet, struggling to find their balance. Alya turned her attention back to Oni-Chan as if nothing happened, her eyes back to their normal color. 

“You’re alright,” she assured. “Everything is gonna be okay.”

Officer Raincomprix backed away, frantically warning his fellow officers of not one akuma, but two. 

Oni-Chan started to mutter something under her breath and Alya strained her ears to listen. Her sudden spikes of pain finally started to go down. The trembling stopped and her hands slowly lowered from clutching her head.

“K-Kill….” 

Alya went rigid. Oni-Chan stared her down, her gaze predatory. “...k-kill Alya?” 

Hawkmoth. This was a trap. He purposely put Oni-Chan in pain counting on the fact Alya would stay by her side. He used her friendship with Kagami as an advantage. 

His targets weren’t Ladybug and Chat Noir—it was her.

A hand latched onto Alya’s throat before she could react. She was lifted off the ground, Oni-Chan holding her up with one hand. Alya kicked her legs helplessly, desperately clawing at the hand squeezing her throat.

“If killing you means protecting Marinette, it can’t be helped,” Oni-Chan said with a smirk, tightening her grip.

“Kagami,  _ please _ ,” Alya choked out, her voice barely audible. “You don’t want to do this.”

Oni-Chan glared. “That’s not my  _ name _ .”

The pressure on her neck increased. Alya didn’t understand how Oni-Chan could be this powerful. A pitiful cry escaped from her throat when the akuma dug her nails into her throat, purposely making the pain worse. 

The arm holding her up stayed sturdy like Alya weighed nothing. Akumas were strong, but not  _ this  _ strong. How could this be—

“ **_Surprise. Did you miss me_ ** ?”

Terror gripped her heart.  _ No way _ . 

Lady Wifi giggled manically. “ **_I’ve been doing my own investigation. Turns out the less I bother you, the more power I store up. And the more power I have, I can do things like this._ ** ”

Somehow, Oni-Chan applied even  _ more  _ pressure. Anymore and Alya’s neck would snap in half. She didn’t have enough air left to cry out in pain. But she did have an answer. 

Lady Wifi was lending Oni-Chan power. 

“ ** _I know what you’re thinking: if you die like this, so do I. Your thoughts as so loud it’s excruciating,_** ” Lady Wifi sighed in annoyance. “ ** _Hawkmoth wants you dead. Simple as that. If my destruction means he’ll get what he wants, so be it._** **_Either way, I still win._** ” It felt as if Lady Wifi was behind her, suffocating Alya further with her words alone. “ ** _You suffer, and I accomplish my goal up to the very end._** ”

Alya’s hands fell limp at her sides, dark spots dancing across her vision. Her strength was gone. Even if she had any left, her mind and body were in full panic. In Alya’s eyes, it wasn’t Oni-Chan choking her to death—it was Lady Wifi. Her nightmare come to life. 

_ Pity. You can’t even fight for yourself _

Lady Wifi cackled. Oni-Chan grinned. People around her screamed, begging for help. Alya took one last desperate gasp for air. 

“Let her  _ go _ !” 

Ladybug came flying and kicked the akuma in the stomach. Oni-Chan lost her grip. Alya collapsed to the ground and grabbed her throat, taking the biggest gulp of air possible. She began to hyperventilate, unable to shake the feeling of Lady Wifi’s hands suffocating her. Her eyes were blown wide in fear, her hands shaking. Alya couldn’t  _ breathe— _

A pair of hands cupped her face gently, grounding her. 

“Alya—you’re safe. I need you to breathe with me, okay? Just breathe.”

_ Chat Noir. _

Alya slowly regained control over her breathing, Chat Noir gently encouraging her. Ladybug stood in front of them protectively, countering any attack Oni-Chan made. 

“I-I’m s-sorry,” Alya whispered brokenly, her voice trembling. “I t-tried—”

“You have nothing to apologize for,” Chat Noir assured. 

“I’m the r-reason she got akumatized in the f-first place,” Alya argued, her breathing uneven. Chat Noir whispered reassurances in her ear to calm her down. 

“The only person to blame is Hawkmoth,” Ladybug cut in, hitting Oni-Chan’s sword away. “We’re gonna get Kagami back. It’ll be okay.” 

“She wants to kill me.” 

Alya surprised herself with how steady her voice remained. The heroes didn’t respond. They probably figured that already with the position they found her in. Still, it didn’t make the information easier to hear.

“We won’t let that happen,” Chat Noir said fiercely. He helped Alya stand and pulled out his staff.

“Akumas have never gotten to this point of aggression,” Ladybug muttered. “Is Hawkmoth seriously willing to go so low?” 

To get rid of Alya? Apparently, yes. There was no way he knew she was trying to uncover his identity. Alya must’ve done something to him as a civilian to anger him to this extent.

That would mean Alec isn’t Hawkmoth. Alya never met him in real life. Who did she piss off? 

“Hawkmoth has nothing to do with this!” Oni-Chan yelled. “I’m doing this for Marinette, not him!”

Ladybug lost her footing. “ _ What _ ?”

Oni-Chan took advantage of her shock and swiped at her legs. The heroine tumbled and fell, raising her arms as a last attempt of defense. Chat Noir stepped in and blocked Oni-Chan’s sword with his staff before she could strike. Ladybug got back on her feet and took his position protecting Alya. 

“I think the akuma is in her sword,” Alya mentioned. “Kagami was holding a rose when she was akumatized—”

Ladybug whirled around and grabbed her shoulders, shaking Alya urgently. “I need to know everything that happened.”

“But what does—”

“Alya, I’m begging you.” Ladybug shook her again, using less force. “ _ Please _ .”

Though confused, Alya couldn’t say no. 

“Kagami got into a fight with my friend Marinette. I overheard and when I asked her what happened…” Alya sighed, looking away guiltily. “...it turned out me and Adrien had something to do with it.” Her head snapped up. “Do you know if they’re okay? Marinette and Adrien?”

Only asking about Marinette would be suspicious. Alya found comfort in the fact Adrien was there. Not completely safe—Chat Noir yelped, narrowly dodging being stabbed—but Alya knew his whereabouts. 

“We got them to safety.” Ladybug sounded far away, an unreadable emotion in her eyes. 

“Sorry to interrupt, but we have a killer akuma on the loose!” Chat Noir snapped, ducking when Oni-Chan swung her sword at his head.

Ladybug shook her head and slapped the sides of her face to focus. Her distressed state completely vanished, buried under her mask of determination. “We need a plan.”

“I’m sure you’ll come up with something, M’lady. We all know how flawless your plans are.” Sarcasm dripped down his words. 

“Seriously, you want to do this  _ now _ ?” Ladybug snapped, jumping in to help fight.

“I have no idea—” Chat Noir grunted when Oni-Chan pushed him back. He retaliated with a hard hit to her shoulder. “—what you’re talking about.”

“How many times do I have to apologize?” 

“How many times do I have to tell you a bunch of apologies won’t fix anything?” 

Dark Cupid. They had to be talking about what happened. Chat Noir refused to disclose what upset him no matter what Alya said. She watched them bicker, impressed how they remained in sync despite their argument. 

“I didn’t want to hurt you!” Ladybug defended.

“So you thought lying to me was a better option?” Chat Noir shot back. 

“ _ God— _ this is exactly why I lied! You let your emotions cloud your judgment and they prevent you from focusing on what we’re supposed to be doing!”

“I’m sorry I’m not an emotionless robot!”

“ _ Emotionless _ ? In what way—”

“ _ ENOUGH _ !”

Ladybug and Chat Noir were blown away by a huge strike from Oni-Chan’s sword. Alya yelped as she was grabbed by the hair, struggling against the akuma’s strength. She struggled harder when Oni-Chan pressed her sword against her throat. 

“You call yourself heroes?” Oni-Chan scoffed. “You can’t even protect the one person you swore to.”

Ladybug called for her lucky charm, groaning when a hosepipe appeared. “This power never lets me have it easy.” Chat Noir used his staff to get back on his feet, lending a hand to help the heroine.

“How does it feel knowing a defenseless civilian is going to die because of you?” Oni-Chan taunted.

_ You’re no good on your own, never have been _

Alya dug her fingers into the akuma’s arm. She didn’t even flinch.

“Kagami isn’t a killer,” Ladybug snapped. “You’re not gonna win.”

Oni-Chan pressed her sword into Alya’s neck, drawing blood. She bit her lip, refusing to give the akuma the satisfaction of hearing her pain. “Haven’t I already? One slash and it’s over.” 

“I think you’re severely underestimating her,” Chat Noir noted, his voice laced with something dangerous. 

“How can I underestimate a weakling?”

_ You’re not a rock, Alya Cesaire. You’re a piece of broken glass, shattered beyond repair _

Suddenly, Alya was hit with a memory. The circumstances were extremely different, but the set-up was the same. Chat Noir locked his gaze with hers. She communicated one message through her eyes, feeling more confident than she has in a while. 

_ Trust me _

He nodded. Alya smirked. 

She stomped on Oni-Chan’s foot. The akuma reeled back in a mixture of pain and surprise, loosening her grip. Alya used the distraction to grab her arm holding the sword. She planted her feet on the ground and tugged Oni-Chan over her shoulder with all her strength. Subtle purple sparks emitted from her skin, her eyes a mixture of purple and brown. Alya yelled out angrily and slammed the akuma against the ground,  _ hard _ . The heroes blinked owlishly, shock and awe written across their faces.

Huh. Guess those moves were useful after all.

Ladybug and Chat Noir wasted no time and made their move. Ladybug used the hose to secure Oni-Chan to a light pole, rendering her arms useless. Chat Noir called his cataclysm and destroyed the sword, unleashing the akuma for Ladybug to take care of. 

Chat Noir held Alya close acting as a shield from the akuma. Just in case. 

Kagami looked around in confusion when she came back, startled by the huge crowd of people cheering. “What—”

Alya surged forward and pulled her into a hug. She whispered several apologies under her breath, hugging Kagami tighter. That was Oni-Chan, not Kagami. Hawkmoth forced her to attack against her will. She would never intentionally harm Alya or anyone else.

Alya repeated the words in her head, hiding her face in Kagami’s shoulder. The other teen eventually returned the hug, patting Alya’s back awkwardly. They separated when Ladybug approached with a small smile.

“I believe this belongs to you,” she said gently, handing her the rose.

Kagami took it back, offering Ladybug a quiet thank you. She blushed when the heroine picked her up in a bridal carry without warning. “I’ll take her home.”

A silent conversation passed between her and Chat Noir before she left with Kagami in tow. 

“Word of advice: maybe save your arguments for after the bad guy is defeated,” Alya noted. 

Chat Noir deflated. “I was an idiot. You were almost  _ killed  _ and I got distracted—”

It hit Alya then her life was put in jeopardy three times in a short period of time. Chat Noir witnessed them all—once as Adrien, twice as his hero persona. The feeling of being in danger was one thing. For Chat Noir to see her like that, feeling he already failed her—Alya didn’t know what that felt like. The guilt in his voice weighed heavily on Alya’s conscience. 

She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her face against his chest. 

“No part of me doubted you guys wouldn’t save me,” Alya murmured. Chat Noir went silent. He hesitantly returned the hug, resting his chin on top of her head. “You always find a way. No akuma has been able to beat you for a reason. Kagami and I are okay. Paris is okay. All because of you. That’ll never change.” 

“Are you really okay?” Chat Noir asked softly. 

The phantom pain of being strangled lingered. Alya resisted the urge to scratch her throat. “I have to be.”

“No, you don’t,” Chat Noir argued. “At least not with me.”

Right. Never with him. 

His ring beeped. Alya reluctantly let him go. “Don’t move, I’ll be right back to take you home.”

He winked and blew a kiss as he made his exit. Alya rolled her eyes, the small smile on her face betraying her “annoyance”. It did help brighten her mood a bit—not that she would admit it out loud. She probably didn’t have to anyway. Chat Noir knew her way too well. Alya crouched down on her knees to grab her bag and put her fallen books back inside. The list of brownie ingredients she wrote sticking out one of the books snapped her back into reality.  _ Shit _ . She still needed to buy that chocolate. 

A sudden pain shot through Alya’s shoulder. She groaned and rested her hand on the side of her neck to roll it out. The move she pulled on Oni-Chan required a lot of stretching. Obviously, due to the dire situation, she didn’t have time to. Her muscles might be sore for a while but Alya would manage. The pain in her shoulder distracted her from the growing burst of energy coming from her hand.

Her entire body  _ jolted _ . 

Alya panicked when her hand stayed glued to her neck. She fell to her knees and screamed in pain, catching the attention of a few lingering civilians. Someone yelled out for an ambulance when Alya finally managed to rip her hand away from her neck. Tiny purple sparks escaped from her fingertips. The smell of burnt flesh made Alya nauseous. Lady Wifi’s evil laugh echoed in her head.

“ **_Just a little reminder I’m not going anywhere_ ** ,” she said with a giggle “ **_You’re getting weaker, Cesaire. This isn’t a battle of wills any more. It’s a waiting game._ ** ” 

A finger under her chin forced her to look up. Lady Wifi was there. She was  _ right in front of her. _ Alya couldn't move, completely paralyzed with fear. The akuma grinned.

“ **_You’re already slipping. I won’t have to wait that much longer_ ** .”

“Alya???”

Lady Wifi vanished. Chat Noir approached her, sending the civilians surrounding her away. He froze, spotting the burn mark in the shape of a handprint on the side of her neck. 

“Lady Wifi,” she whispered. There was no need for a further explanation.

Chat Noir grabbed her and ran from prying eyes, using his staff to launch them into the sky. He bounded across the rooftops holding Alya in his arms. She hid her face in his shoulder the entire way. 

They landed in a secluded area near the park. Chat Noir set her down on the ground. He reached to inspect the burn mark, silently asking for Alya’s permission. She tilted her head to give him a better look. 

“She did this to you?” he asked, his voice sharp.

“Said it was a reminder,” Alya replied. She hated how wobbly the words tumbled out of her mouth. Chat Noir pulled her into his arms and she went willingly, sinking into his warmth. 

Lady Wifi was willing to do  _ anything  _ if it meant getting rid of Alya. Even if it meant dying. Her unwavering loyalty to Hawkmoth pushed the akuma to take huge risks. Alya already thought Lady Wifi was hard to deal with. She shifted slightly, wincing when the burn mark stung from the movement. But this… 

This was a completely new level of danger. It terrified her. 

“Alya??? Where are you???” 

She looked over Chat Noir’s shoulder, shocked to see Trixx flying towards them holding the fox miraculous. The kwami quickly fastened the necklace around Alya’s neck himself. The pain from the burn mark lessened slightly. 

“Trixx???” Alya sputtered. “How are you here? I thought you disappeared whenever I took off the necklace?”

“I don’t. Master Fu asked me to,” Trixx replied sadly. “He wanted to avoid us bonding. When the time comes to give back the fox miraculous, it would make it easier for us to say goodbye.”

“I’m guessing that plan didn’t work out,” Chat Noir remarked.

“I’m sorry for lying! Master Fu told me it was the only way,” Trixx apologized. He bowed his head. “I felt your pain. I couldn’t sit back and ignore it.”

“You  _ what _ ?”

“When Lady Wifi burned you. I could feel your distress and got here as soon as I could,” the kwami explained. 

“Did she hurt you?” Alya asked. She held her palm out for Trixx to land on. 

“A little bit,” he admitted. “But it was nothing compared to the pain you felt.” Tears pricked the corner of his eyes. “I’m really sorry, Alya. I’m supposed to protect you and I  _ couldn’t— _ ”

“That’s not true.” Alya cradled Trixx in her hands and held the kwami close. “The only thing you’ve  _ been  _ doing is protecting me.”

She bonded with Trixx. She had a bond with a  _ kwami _ . Under other circumstances, Alya would find this exciting. But if this meant Trixx would feel any attack Lady Wifi made, she wanted nothing more than to break the bond. He did enough for her already. Alya couldn’t stand the thought of putting Trixx through any more turmoil. 

“You know, I don’t appreciate being called a liar.” 

Trixx squeaked at the familiar voice and hid in Alya’s bag. Chat Noir helped Alya stand, pushing her behind him slightly. 

Master Fu walked towards them with Ladybug by his side. She must’ve told him about the akuma incident. 

“Then don’t give me reasons to call you one,” Alya snapped.

He frowned spotting the burn mark on her neck. The look of horror in his eyes was enough to make Alya start panicking again. Master Fu sighed.

“It’s time I tell you everything.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you enjoyed the chapter! kudos/comments are greatly appreciated!!!
> 
> twitter: @IR8NHEART


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